Videos

In the last few decades, the striped bass has rapidly stolen the hearts of saltwater fly anglers along the eastern coast of North America. Members of the Percichthyidae or temperate bass family, “stripers” are quite simply awesome on a fly fishing rod. These energetic anadromous fish are native to the inshore regions of the western Atlantic, but enjoy a wide range (51°N - 24°n, 94°w - 80°w) thanks to a host of introduction and aquaculture programs throughout the world. More...

desc::In the last few decades, the striped bass has rapidly stolen the hearts of saltwater fly anglers along the eastern coast of North America. Members of the Percichthyidae or temperate bass family, “stripers” are quite simply awesome on a fly fishing rod. These energetic anadromous fish are native to the inshore regions of the western Atlantic, but enjoy a wide range (51°N - 24°n, 94°w - 80°w) thanks to a host of introduction and aquaculture programs throughout the world. More...

Morone saxatilis

Johann Julius Walbaum, 1792

“The bass, of course, have no idea of the delight they carry on their shoulders for nearly four million striper fisherman on the east coast.”

- David DiBenedetto, “On the Water”

In the last few decades, the striped bass has rapidly stolen the hearts of saltwater fly anglers along the eastern coast of North America. Members of the Percichthyidae or temperate bass family, “stripers” are quite simply awesome on a fly fishing rod. These energetic anadromous fish are native to the inshore regions of the western Atlantic, but enjoy a wide range (51°N - 24°n, 94°w - 80°w) thanks to a host of introduction and aquaculture programs throughout the world.

The four major populations of striped bass along the eastern seaboard of North America are: the Chesapeake Bay striper, the Massachusetts Bay or Cape Cod striper, the Hudson River striper, and theDelaware River striper. Saltwater fly anglers on the Pacific coast – especially in the San Francisco Bay area – have also enjoyed playing the striper game as the fish migrate from the Sacramento River Delta to the Pacific Ocean. Regionally, the striped bass may be called the striped sea bass, rockfish, or “rock.”

In 1792, the German doctor, taxonomist, and naturalist, Johann Julius Walbaum, discovered and named the striped bass Morone saxatilis, from the Latin “rock dweller” – quite an apt title as striped bass love any kind of structure they can find. Stripers search for baitfish in rocky areas and cut banks that provide shelter as well as in rocky depressions along the bottom of inshore deltas, saltwater flats, and tidal lagoons.

Striped bass enjoy warmer, more temperate waters and will follow periodic heat fluctuations throughout the year. In the early spring, along the eastern coast of North America, stripers sense the shifting temperature gradient in the north. They will migrate in schools both great and small from the Outer Banks of North Carolina all the way to the rocky shoreline of Maine. The leaders of the migration are the smaller fish, colloquially known on the eastern Atlantic coast as “schoolies.” These smaller fish are trailed by their larger counterparts. Migrating striped bass feed primarily on baitfish, and hold a strong gastronomic penchant for alewives, and menhaden. Stripers will also dine on sand eels, squid, clams, and crabs.

Saltwater fly anglers, almost as instinctively as the bass themselves, follow the migration, emerging from their cold winter’s fishing slumber to clean up their outfits and cast flies again. Once the northern waters begin to cool later in the summer, the migration reverses its direction and the striped bass travel south again like the snowbirds of the northeast, looking for an escape from the brutal Nor’easters of January and February. Intersecting the migration as it moves along the coast is the name of the game in fly fishing for stripers and, lucky for the saltwater fly angler, there are many opportunities to play throughout the year.

The striped bass is a beautiful and silvery-sleek fish. It can grow to impressive sizes of 80 pounds or more with a maximum recorded length of just over 6 feet! The striped bass fly anglers will most commonly see, however, are in the 5 pound to 20 pound weight range. There are generally 7 or 8 dark stripes running horizontally from the striped bass’ gills to the caudal fin or tail and the fish can take on a striking light blue-green tint along its back.

Because of the wide range of environments in which stripers can be caught, there are several strategies saltwater fly anglers will put to use when casting to the striped bass. Commonly anglers will wade the inshore areas of tidal rivers and saltwater flats with hard bottoms in search of striped bass. Boats are employed when encountering flats with softer bottoms or when more expansive areas of deeper ocean, deltas, and larger bays need to be covered. Some anglers even enjoy surfcasting for stripers from the shore, and if flies are presented properly, this method can be an extremely productive way to hook a striped bass. For those daringly innovative anglers who want to live on the true cutting edge, spey rods and casting techniques are gaining popularity when surf casting for stripers!

Regardless of the fishing environment, saltwater fly anglers may enjoy the rare chance at placing a sight cast to schooling stripers, but most commonly, anglers blindly ply the most likely looking waters with a search and retrieve technique not unfamiliar to freshwater trout anglers. When the rare opportunity at sight casting for striped bass arises, knowing how to pick up the fish is key. When in shallower saltwater flats, stripers will often push wakes as they search for smaller baitfish. Learning to see this wake can be invaluable for anglers who primarily wade inshore areas.

When putting the more common blind casting or search and retrieve strategy to use for stripers, understanding how the fish feed is the most important piece of the puzzle. Striped bass, like trout, prefer to let their food come to them. Subsequently, stripers will often hold in sheltered areas and turn their noses (and hungry mouths) into the direction of the tide. Here they will wait for the tidal conveyor belt to bring smaller fish into their holding area. It is thus important to understand the nature of local tidal currents when fly fishing for striped bass. Because of this similarity in feeding habits of stripers and trout, common wet fly and dead drifting techniques work swimmingly when fishing for striped bass in saltwater and brackish environments controlled by tidal currents.

The trick to the search and retrieve strategy for stripers is creativity. It’s important to try as many combinations of casting distances, retrieving styles, and fly depths as possible. Covering water can be a challenge, but it’s really the heart of an effective blind casting attack. As with any saltwater fly fishing, conditions are often windy and long, powerful, and accurate casts are often necessary. Be sure to tune up your casting before heading to the salt or brackish water for stripers.

Despite the importance of long casts, any salty veteran striped bass angler anywhere on the eastern seaboard will tell you that you should “never overlook the water at your feet.” So when your 70 foot casts aren’t turning up a thing, pay some close attention to the rocky coastline near your feet and at your flanks … this could be prime feeding territory for that trophy rockfish!

A common and effective stripping method once a search cast is made is the “over hand” retrieve. This method is similar to hand lining and offers the angler a great connection to the fly line; even the most subtle tug from a striped bass can be felt with this method. To use the over hand retrieve, simply tuck the rod under the casting arm, and keeping the rod tip low, slowly retrieve the fly, gripping the line with alternating hands just below the stripping guide. Experiment with different speeds and cadences when performing any retrieve. Once you’ve found a technique the fish are keyed on, stick with it! In striper fishing, it’s always worth retrieving the fly all the way back to the rod tip as a striper will often chase the fly all the way to the rod tip.

Saltwater fly anglers generally use lighter 6 weight or 7 weight fly fishing rods for smaller stripers – the schoolies, and larger 9 weight or 10 weight fly fishing rods when chasing the bigger fish. Striped bass are tough and energetic fish, but do not generally make long, freight train runs. Nevertheless, it is important to have a reel in your outfit with a solid and dependable drag system, a large arbor for fast and efficient line pick up, and space for at least 150 yards of backing.

Stripers will take a saltwater popper fly at the surface, but saltwater streamer patterns fished on sinking lines often prove far more effective, especially on brighter days, as stripers will dive to deeper water to escape heavy sunlight. Overcast skies offer the greatest conditions for striper fishing because the fish are more active and their feeding habits and strategies become more daring. Because of the variability in striper fishing, a fly angler interested in catching striped bass should ideally carry three lines: a fast sinking line, an intermediate sinking line, and a saltwater floating line.

A stacked arsenal of striper flies has been developed over the last few decades. Streamers are the most effective and proven patterns, but the occasional saltwater popper will move stripers to the surface. Chartruse and white seem to be the most productive colors for striper flies. Flashy materials also provide a little kick to striper flies. According to fly fishing legend, Lefty Kreh, striped bass key in not on the color of a fly, but rather are attracted to the size of a fly. Listen to Lefty: Pay attention to the baitfish you’re trying to imitate and select a fly of a similar size.

Popular fly patterns for striped bass are Bob Popovic’s Big One, Jack Gartside’s White Gurgler. Sand eel patterns by Chuck Frumisky, Enrico Puglisi, and Page Rogers are deadly back east and in the Sacramento River Delta, and Lou Tabory’s Sea Rat is a classic and should be in your striper box. Not long ago, Leland Fly Fishing Outfitters’ very own Keith Westra developed a killer striper fly for Josh’s last trip back east. It was so successful in the Atlantic salt, we thought we’d give it a couple of casts and strips on the Left Coast. The result: Keith’s Yak Hair Bunker Fly gets big results in the San Francisco Bay area as well! It’s a bomber pattern to fish!

According to Barry and Cathy Beck in their must-read book Fly-Fishing the Flats, “The east-coast stripers have brought more fly rodders to the salt than any other fish in the history of fly fishing.” This is probably true. Striped bass are accessible by anglers on both coasts of North America, are a joy to chase, and even more fun to catch! There are certain anglers who dream only of the first sign of the northern migration. When spring hits and the schoolies are on the move with the monster stripers a few paces behind, it’s all systems go! David DiBenedetto was right … if only the striped bass knew the importance of what each year rests on their shoulders …

Morone saxatilis

Johann Julius Walbaum, 1792

“The bass, of course, have no idea of the delight they carry on their shoulders for nearly four million striper fisherman on the east coast.”

- David DiBenedetto, “On the Water”

In the last few decades, the striped bass has rapidly stolen the hearts of saltwater fly anglers along the eastern coast of North America. Members of the Percichthyidae or temperate bass family, “stripers” are quite simply awesome on a fly fishing rod. These energetic anadromous fish are native to the inshore regions of the western Atlantic, but enjoy a wide range (51°N - 24°n, 94°w - 80°w) thanks to a host of introduction and aquaculture programs throughout the world.

The four major populations of striped bass along the eastern seaboard of North America are: the Chesapeake Bay striper, the Massachusetts Bay or Cape Cod striper, the Hudson River striper, and theDelaware River striper. Saltwater fly anglers on the Pacific coast – especially in the San Francisco Bay area – have also enjoyed playing the striper game as the fish migrate from the Sacramento River Delta to the Pacific Ocean. Regionally, the striped bass may be called the striped sea bass, rockfish, or “rock.”

In 1792, the German doctor, taxonomist, and naturalist, Johann Julius Walbaum, discovered and named the striped bass Morone saxatilis, from the Latin “rock dweller” – quite an apt title as striped bass love any kind of structure they can find. Stripers search for baitfish in rocky areas and cut banks that provide shelter as well as in rocky depressions along the bottom of inshore deltas, saltwater flats, and tidal lagoons.

Striped bass enjoy warmer, more temperate waters and will follow periodic heat fluctuations throughout the year. In the early spring, along the eastern coast of North America, stripers sense the shifting temperature gradient in the north. They will migrate in schools both great and small from the Outer Banks of North Carolina all the way to the rocky shoreline of Maine. The leaders of the migration are the smaller fish, colloquially known on the eastern Atlantic coast as “schoolies.” These smaller fish are trailed by their larger counterparts. Migrating striped bass feed primarily on baitfish, and hold a strong gastronomic penchant for alewives, and menhaden. Stripers will also dine on sand eels, squid, clams, and crabs.

Saltwater fly anglers, almost as instinctively as the bass themselves, follow the migration, emerging from their cold winter’s fishing slumber to clean up their outfits and cast flies again. Once the northern waters begin to cool later in the summer, the migration reverses its direction and the striped bass travel south again like the snowbirds of the northeast, looking for an escape from the brutal Nor’easters of January and February. Intersecting the migration as it moves along the coast is the name of the game in fly fishing for stripers and, lucky for the saltwater fly angler, there are many opportunities to play throughout the year.

The striped bass is a beautiful and silvery-sleek fish. It can grow to impressive sizes of 80 pounds or more with a maximum recorded length of just over 6 feet! The striped bass fly anglers will most commonly see, however, are in the 5 pound to 20 pound weight range. There are generally 7 or 8 dark stripes running horizontally from the striped bass’ gills to the caudal fin or tail and the fish can take on a striking light blue-green tint along its back.

Because of the wide range of environments in which stripers can be caught, there are several strategies saltwater fly anglers will put to use when casting to the striped bass. Commonly anglers will wade the inshore areas of tidal rivers and saltwater flats with hard bottoms in search of striped bass. Boats are employed when encountering flats with softer bottoms or when more expansive areas of deeper ocean, deltas, and larger bays need to be covered. Some anglers even enjoy surfcasting for stripers from the shore, and if flies are presented properly, this method can be an extremely productive way to hook a striped bass. For those daringly innovative anglers who want to live on the true cutting edge, spey rods and casting techniques are gaining popularity when surf casting for stripers!

Regardless of the fishing environment, saltwater fly anglers may enjoy the rare chance at placing a sight cast to schooling stripers, but most commonly, anglers blindly ply the most likely looking waters with a search and retrieve technique not unfamiliar to freshwater trout anglers. When the rare opportunity at sight casting for striped bass arises, knowing how to pick up the fish is key. When in shallower saltwater flats, stripers will often push wakes as they search for smaller baitfish. Learning to see this wake can be invaluable for anglers who primarily wade inshore areas.

When putting the more common blind casting or search and retrieve strategy to use for stripers, understanding how the fish feed is the most important piece of the puzzle. Striped bass, like trout, prefer to let their food come to them. Subsequently, stripers will often hold in sheltered areas and turn their noses (and hungry mouths) into the direction of the tide. Here they will wait for the tidal conveyor belt to bring smaller fish into their holding area. It is thus important to understand the nature of local tidal currents when fly fishing for striped bass. Because of this similarity in feeding habits of stripers and trout, common wet fly and dead drifting techniques work swimmingly when fishing for striped bass in saltwater and brackish environments controlled by tidal currents.

The trick to the search and retrieve strategy for stripers is creativity. It’s important to try as many combinations of casting distances, retrieving styles, and fly depths as possible. Covering water can be a challenge, but it’s really the heart of an effective blind casting attack. As with any saltwater fly fishing, conditions are often windy and long, powerful, and accurate casts are often necessary. Be sure to tune up your casting before heading to the salt or brackish water for stripers.

Despite the importance of long casts, any salty veteran striped bass angler anywhere on the eastern seaboard will tell you that you should “never overlook the water at your feet.” So when your 70 foot casts aren’t turning up a thing, pay some close attention to the rocky coastline near your feet and at your flanks … this could be prime feeding territory for that trophy rockfish!

A common and effective stripping method once a search cast is made is the “over hand” retrieve. This method is similar to hand lining and offers the angler a great connection to the fly line; even the most subtle tug from a striped bass can be felt with this method. To use the over hand retrieve, simply tuck the rod under the casting arm, and keeping the rod tip low, slowly retrieve the fly, gripping the line with alternating hands just below the stripping guide. Experiment with different speeds and cadences when performing any retrieve. Once you’ve found a technique the fish are keyed on, stick with it! In striper fishing, it’s always worth retrieving the fly all the way back to the rod tip as a striper will often chase the fly all the way to the rod tip.

Saltwater fly anglers generally use lighter 6 weight or 7 weight fly fishing rods for smaller stripers – the schoolies, and larger 9 weight or 10 weight fly fishing rods when chasing the bigger fish. Striped bass are tough and energetic fish, but do not generally make long, freight train runs. Nevertheless, it is important to have a reel in your outfit with a solid and dependable drag system, a large arbor for fast and efficient line pick up, and space for at least 150 yards of backing.

Stripers will take a saltwater popper fly at the surface, but saltwater streamer patterns fished on sinking lines often prove far more effective, especially on brighter days, as stripers will dive to deeper water to escape heavy sunlight. Overcast skies offer the greatest conditions for striper fishing because the fish are more active and their feeding habits and strategies become more daring. Because of the variability in striper fishing, a fly angler interested in catching striped bass should ideally carry three lines: a fast sinking line, an intermediate sinking line, and a saltwater floating line.

A stacked arsenal of striper flies has been developed over the last few decades. Streamers are the most effective and proven patterns, but the occasional saltwater popper will move stripers to the surface. Chartruse and white seem to be the most productive colors for striper flies. Flashy materials also provide a little kick to striper flies. According to fly fishing legend, Lefty Kreh, striped bass key in not on the color of a fly, but rather are attracted to the size of a fly. Listen to Lefty: Pay attention to the baitfish you’re trying to imitate and select a fly of a similar size.

Popular fly patterns for striped bass are Bob Popovic’s Big One, Jack Gartside’s White Gurgler. Sand eel patterns by Chuck Frumisky, Enrico Puglisi, and Page Rogers are deadly back east and in the Sacramento River Delta, and Lou Tabory’s Sea Rat is a classic and should be in your striper box. Not long ago, Leland Fly Fishing Outfitters’ very own Keith Westra developed a killer striper fly for Josh’s last trip back east. It was so successful in the Atlantic salt, we thought we’d give it a couple of casts and strips on the Left Coast. The result: Keith’s Yak Hair Bunker Fly gets big results in the San Francisco Bay area as well! It’s a bomber pattern to fish!

According to Barry and Cathy Beck in their must-read book Fly-Fishing the Flats, “The east-coast stripers have brought more fly rodders to the salt than any other fish in the history of fly fishing.” This is probably true. Striped bass are accessible by anglers on both coasts of North America, are a joy to chase, and even more fun to catch! There are certain anglers who dream only of the first sign of the northern migration. When spring hits and the schoolies are on the move with the monster stripers a few paces behind, it’s all systems go! David DiBenedetto was right … if only the striped bass knew the importance of what each year rests on their shoulders …

Istiophorusalbicans, Atlantic Sailfish

Description & Behavior

First described as a species in 1792, the Atlantic sailfish carries the scientific name of either Istiophorus albicans (Latreille, 1804) or Istiophorus platypterus
(Shaw in Shaw and Nodder, 1792). The former, more commonly used name
distinguishes it from the Pacific sailfish; some scientists disagree on
whether the two are in fact different species. The Atlantic sailfish is
one of the smaller members of the Family Istiophoridae, with a maximum
size of about 3.15 to 3.40 m in length and 100
kilograms. Females are generally larger than males. Distinguishing
features include a bill-shaped upper jaw which is circular in
cross-section and about twice the length of the lower jaw.

The
first of the fish's two dorsal fins is very long and tall (hence the
name "sailfish"), running most of the length of the body, with the 20th
ray as the longest. The first anal fin is set far back on the body, and
the second dorsal and anal fins are both short and concave, roughly
mirroring each other in size and shape. The pectoral and pelvic fins are
long, with the pelvic fins nearly reaching the origin of the first anal
fin. The pelvic fins have one spine and multiple soft rays fused
together. A pair of grooves run along the ventral side of the body, into
which the pelvic fins can be depressed. The caudal peduncle has double
keels and caudal notches on the upper and lower surfaces. The lateral
line is readily visible. Body color varies depending upon the fish's
level of excitement, but in general the body is dark blue dorsally and
white with brown spots ventrally. About 20 bars, each consisting of many
light blue dots, are present on each side. The fins are all blackish
blue except at the anal fin base, which is white.

World Range & Habitat

The Atlantic sailfish's habitat varies according to water temperature
and in some cases wind conditions. At the northern and southern
extremes of their distribution, Atlantic sailfish appear only during the
warmer months. These seasonal changes in distribution may be linked to
prey migrations. Usually found in the warmer, upper layers above the
thermocline, the species often migrates into near-shore waters,
preferring temperatures between 21° to 28°C,
but is also capable of descending to rather deep water. In general, the
Atlantic sailfish is highly migratory and can be found from
approximately 40°N to 40°S in the western Atlantic Ocean and from 50°N
to 32°S in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. There is an aggregation off the
coast of West Africa. Although few records exist for the Mediterranean
sea, several juvenile specimens have been caught there. In the western
Atlantic Ocean, its highest abundance is in the Gulf of Mexico, the
Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic coast of Florida, where it is the
official state saltwater fish.

Feeding Behavior (Ecology)

The Atlantic sailfish feeds mainly on small pelagic
fishes—particularly mackerels, tunas, jacks, halfbeaks, and
needlefish—but also eats cephalopods such as squid and octopus. Some
feeding occurs at the surface, as well as in midwater, along reef edges,
or along the bottom substrate.

Life History

Spawning may begin as early as April, but occurs primarily during the
summer months. (The exception is the eastern Atlantic, where spawning
can occur year-round.) Spawning in offshore waters beyond the 100 fathom
isobath has been reported from south of Cuba to the Carolinas. However,
off southeast Florida, the Atlantic sailfish moves inshore to shallower
waters to spawn near the surface in the warm season, with females
swimming sluggishly with their dorsal fins above the water's surface,
accompanied by one or more males. Fertilization is external. A 33-kilogram
female may shed up to 4.8 million eggs in three batches during a single
spawning. Atlantic sailfish larvae are approximately 0.3 cm at hatching, and they lack the elongated jaw characteristic of adult sailfish, which only begins to develop at about 0.6 cm. At 20 cm, all larval characteristics have disappeared and the juvenile has all the features of an adult.

Istiophorusalbicans, Atlantic Sailfish

Description & Behavior

First described as a species in 1792, the Atlantic sailfish carries the scientific name of either Istiophorus albicans (Latreille, 1804) or Istiophorus platypterus
(Shaw in Shaw and Nodder, 1792). The former, more commonly used name
distinguishes it from the Pacific sailfish; some scientists disagree on
whether the two are in fact different species. The Atlantic sailfish is
one of the smaller members of the Family Istiophoridae, with a maximum
size of about 3.15 to 3.40 m in length and 100
kilograms. Females are generally larger than males. Distinguishing
features include a bill-shaped upper jaw which is circular in
cross-section and about twice the length of the lower jaw.

The
first of the fish's two dorsal fins is very long and tall (hence the
name "sailfish"), running most of the length of the body, with the 20th
ray as the longest. The first anal fin is set far back on the body, and
the second dorsal and anal fins are both short and concave, roughly
mirroring each other in size and shape. The pectoral and pelvic fins are
long, with the pelvic fins nearly reaching the origin of the first anal
fin. The pelvic fins have one spine and multiple soft rays fused
together. A pair of grooves run along the ventral side of the body, into
which the pelvic fins can be depressed. The caudal peduncle has double
keels and caudal notches on the upper and lower surfaces. The lateral
line is readily visible. Body color varies depending upon the fish's
level of excitement, but in general the body is dark blue dorsally and
white with brown spots ventrally. About 20 bars, each consisting of many
light blue dots, are present on each side. The fins are all blackish
blue except at the anal fin base, which is white.

World Range & Habitat

The Atlantic sailfish's habitat varies according to water temperature
and in some cases wind conditions. At the northern and southern
extremes of their distribution, Atlantic sailfish appear only during the
warmer months. These seasonal changes in distribution may be linked to
prey migrations. Usually found in the warmer, upper layers above the
thermocline, the species often migrates into near-shore waters,
preferring temperatures between 21° to 28°C,
but is also capable of descending to rather deep water. In general, the
Atlantic sailfish is highly migratory and can be found from
approximately 40°N to 40°S in the western Atlantic Ocean and from 50°N
to 32°S in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. There is an aggregation off the
coast of West Africa. Although few records exist for the Mediterranean
sea, several juvenile specimens have been caught there. In the western
Atlantic Ocean, its highest abundance is in the Gulf of Mexico, the
Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic coast of Florida, where it is the
official state saltwater fish.

Feeding Behavior (Ecology)

The Atlantic sailfish feeds mainly on small pelagic
fishes—particularly mackerels, tunas, jacks, halfbeaks, and
needlefish—but also eats cephalopods such as squid and octopus. Some
feeding occurs at the surface, as well as in midwater, along reef edges,
or along the bottom substrate.

Life History

Spawning may begin as early as April, but occurs primarily during the
summer months. (The exception is the eastern Atlantic, where spawning
can occur year-round.) Spawning in offshore waters beyond the 100 fathom
isobath has been reported from south of Cuba to the Carolinas. However,
off southeast Florida, the Atlantic sailfish moves inshore to shallower
waters to spawn near the surface in the warm season, with females
swimming sluggishly with their dorsal fins above the water's surface,
accompanied by one or more males. Fertilization is external. A 33-kilogram
female may shed up to 4.8 million eggs in three batches during a single
spawning. Atlantic sailfish larvae are approximately 0.3 cm at hatching, and they lack the elongated jaw characteristic of adult sailfish, which only begins to develop at about 0.6 cm. At 20 cm, all larval characteristics have disappeared and the juvenile has all the features of an adult.

Try Topside for Redfish

by Dr. Aaron Adams

photos by Aaron Adams

Floating Flies for Redfish

AS THE TIDE TURNED and began to flood, I poled the boat
across a shallow grass flat, just inside the sandbar that separated the
flat from the Intracoastal Waterway. Many of the large boats that
blasted past reminded me of Rodney Dangerfield’s short, destructive,
ill-fated yacht voyage in the movie Caddyshack. So when I
muttered ‘what a couple of Rodneys’ when two boats passing in opposite
directions neglected to slow down, and slammed loudly into each other’s
massive wakes, my fishing buddy Doug Hedges knew exactly what I was
talking about. It was amazing — we were close enough to the chaos of the
ICW that we could read the registration numbers on the sides of passing
boat hulls, and we were stalking tailing redfish. Except for us, these
redfish were unmolested.

You have to give Doug credit, he seems ready to try
something new at least once. And on the bow, he stood ready to cast to
the next tailer that came into range — with, of all things, a gurgler
tied to his tippet. Some folks know this is a good technique, but when I
suggest they try a surface fly for tough tailing redfish, most anglers
show a look of disbelief, even suspicion. But not Doug, he was all for a
new approach.

Why a Gurgler?

A topwater fly is farthest from many angler’s minds when
they are casting to tailing redfish. The fish are, after all, digging
their noses in the bottom for shrimp, crabs, worms, or small
bottom-dwelling fish like gobies and blennies. Why on earth would an
angler in their right mind choose a surface pattern? After all, redfish
don’t eat with their tails. A topwater fly can be a good choice for
three reasons.

First, a redfish intent on digging out prey buried in the
bottom is often so focused that it doesn’t see it’s surroundings. This
is one reason it is possible to pole a boat right up to a tailing
redfish without being noticed until the boat almost overtakes the
feeding fish. On numerous occasions I’ve been able to wade close enough
to a tailing redfish to touch it with my rod tip. Actively tailing
redfish can also stir up enough bottom that visibility in their
immediate surroundings drops to zero, obscuring any fly in the murk. In
either case, even the most perfectly placed fly might not be noticed.

Second, even tailing redfish pick their heads up out of
the bottom every once in a while as they move on in search of more prey.
There is a good chance that a redfish moving in search of more food
will see the motion at the surface and investigate. And it’s not
uncommon for a bottom grubbing redfish to scare up small prey that make a
break for it. So that same redfish that was so engrossed in digging for
a mud crab that it never saw the perfectly presented fly might see the
surface commotion of a gurgler, and mistake the fly for an escaping
prey. Many times I’ve watched small shrimp and fish squirt from the
water as they try to avoid a feeding redfish. And I’ve seen redfish that
were lackadaisically tailing suddenly erupt at the surface to grab
these would-be escapees.

Third, in many of the flats where anglers fish for
tailing redfish, the seagrass is thick and tall. The densely packed
seagrass blades can act as a barrier, preventing a tailing fish from
seeing a fly only inches away. And at a very low tide, the upper
portions of the grass blades lay across the surface, and the tips reach
to the surface at a medium tide, making it tough to get a sinking fly to
the bottom. A weedless gurgler helps get around both of these
challenges and puts the fly in an area where it can be seen by a
redfish.

A gurgler is my surface fly of choice because it is
light, so is easy to cast long distances and lands on the water lightly.
Both characteristics are necessary when fishing to tailing redfish on
shallow flats. The gurgler is also versatile in how it can be fished —
loudly, so it makes a lot of commotion, or softly, so it barely ripples
the surface. So it’s easy to imitate different prey — soft and slow for
shrimp and loud and fast for the finger mullet that can be abundant in
fall — and the changing moods of redfish.

When

I first started using gurglers for tailing redfish, in
part, out of frustration. My favorite flats for tailing redfish are
covered with lush turtle grass and shoal grass. It can be wearing to
make good cast after good cast to a tailing fish and get no response
because it never saw the fly among the many grass blades. My strategy
when fishing for tailing reds is pretty simple — get the fly into the
fish’s sight zone and make sure the fish sees it. I know the fish has
seen the fly when it changes it’s behavior — it either reacts
positively, by following or taking the fly, or negatively, by avoiding
the fly or suddenly swimming in the other direction. Often, redfish
feeding in thick seagrass don’t react at all, so likely never see the
fly.

An unweighted fly that sinks very slowly is a good choice
in these situations because the fly spends more time in mid-water,
where it is more visible, while a weighted fly that sinks straight to
the bottom is quickly lost. However, even an unweighted fly that hovers
mid-water can remain unseen by a redfish feeding in thick grass. If I
can get the gurgler in front of the redfish, it’s a good bet the fish
will see the fly.

Another good situation for using a gurgler is when there
are a lot of redfish around, but they aren’t staying put long enough to
stalk and cast to any particular fish. The first time I tried a gurgler
in frustration was on a day when the flat was full of tailing fish.
Well, fish were tailing everywhere but where I was. Fish weren’t feeding
very long in a spot, but instead would tail for a few seconds and then
move on. There was really no point in stalking, so I drifted across the
flat blind-casting a gurgler. This can be an especially successful
strategy in late summer and fall when juvenile mullet (aka finger mullet) are often common on the flats, and a favorite food of the larger redfish that invade the flats in fall.

My favorite situation for using a gurgler is casting to
redfish that are pushing a bow-wake as they slowly cruise from one
eating spot to the next. I’ll often see these fish tail some distance
away, then right themselves and slowly head off in search of more prey.
Sometimes, the dorsal and upper tail fins of these fish will be out of
the water. These fish move slowly and deliberately enough that I can
guess their course and put myself in the best location to make a good
cast. I like to lead these fish by a healthy enough distance that they
can’t see the fly or fly line in the air, and let the fly sit until they
are within a few feet before beginning my retrieve.

Strategies

When casting a gurgler to a tailing or cruising redfish, I
use a leader of 10 - 12 feet or more, with 12 lb. fluorocarbon tippet.
For tailers I use a long leader because I try to cast past the fish, to
the side the head is pointing. I then bring the fly back over the fish.
If the fish continues to tail, I’ll make the fly pop to get the fish’s
attention. If the fish is not tailing, I continue retrieving the fly in
short strips. Using this strategy, a shorter leader would cause the fly
line to land over the fish, likely spooking the fish and ruining my
chances for a hookup.

For blind-casting, a longer leader means I have less
chance of accidentally lining a fish with the fly line during a cast.
The longer leader also provides better separation between the fly line
and fly, so there is less chance a redfish coming to check out the fly’s
commotion will intersect the fly line.

Cruisers are swimming near the surface, with their cone
of vision pointing forward and upward. A longer leader helps me keep the
fly line out of this cone of vision during the cast. I use 12 lb rather
than 20 lb leader because heavier leader tends to pull the gurgler
down. And I find that fluorocarbon tippets make a difference because the
waters I fish tend to be clear.

Long casts are usually best, because even redfish that
attack the gurgler aggressively tend to miss the fly a few times before
they get it in their mouth. With their mouth on the underside of their
snout, redfish have to either raise their head out of the water so they
come down on the fly, or turn sideways to get a better angle on the fly
from below. When a redfish brings its head out of the water to get over
the fly, its eyes come above the water surface, so they can spot an
angler that is close by. And less aggressive redfish will often follow a
gurgler for an excruciatingly long distance, so a long cast gives the
fish more time to decide to take the fly.

When a redfish strikes a gurgler, it is usually an
exciting show — often an explosion on the fly. The temptation is to rear
back and set the hook. In most circumstances, this will result in a
fish circling in confusion as it searches for the fly that you just
launched past your ear. Remember, they’ll often miss the fly the first
time. It takes some control, but keep stripping the fly in the same
manner that induced the redfish into attacking it, and strip strike when
you feel tension on the line. Don’t lift the rod until you’re sure the
fish is hooked. Easier said than done.

Success

Back to the fishing.

Getting in range of a tailing redfish was the biggest
challenge. For a while, it seemed that every fish we saw would tail
aggressively until we were just into casting range, and then suddenly
disappear, only to reappear a few minutes later just a little farther
away: a frustrating pattern that redfish seem to follow frequently.

Doug got decent casts to a couple fish, one of which
ignored the fly as it moved off to another spot, and a second that
looked at the fly and suddenly bolted when Doug stripped the fly ever so
slightly. The eruption caused by the second fish was entertainment in
itself.

Doug made a couple casts that had been ignored by a third
tailer, as the fish alternately tailed and moved, tailed and moved.
When the fish had not shown itself for a minute or so, I began to scan
the flat for more action. Then Doug let out a "WHOOP." I turned
to see his rod doubled over and fly line jumping off the deck and
through the guides in pursuit of a surprised redfish. A few minutes
later, we had the fish boatside, and Doug had his first redfish on a
gurgler. We were able to get one more fish before the tailing action
died down, the sun dipped low, and we made the run back to the boat
ramp.

Would a standard fly pattern for tailing redfish have
worked? Perhaps, but it wouldn’t have been as exciting or visual a take.
And we didn’t have to worry about making the perfect cast and keeping
the fly snag-free.

Tying the Gurgler

The gurgler is an easy fly to tie, and is surprisingly durable for being made mostly of soft foam.

I use pliable closed cell foam in either tan or white.
Tan is good for imitating shrimp and some of the small fish that live on
the flats. White is good for imitating finger mullet and is easier to
see at dusk, one of my favorite times for fishing for tailing redfish. I
use a long shank hook — either for tying a longer, shrimp-like body, or
to tie a keel-hook style weedless version. For the standard,
long-bodied pattern, I tie in a mono weedguard just behind the hook eye.
For the keel-hook style fly, I use pliers to bend the hook backwards,
the bend at approximately 2/3 the length of the shank behind the hook
eye. The foam body is then tied on the same side of the hook as the hook
bend. This fly will ride with the hook point up, making it weedless. I
originally began tying the keel-style fly because so many redfish were
striking the fly without getting hooked. The theory is that since
redfish so often come down on the fly from above, an upward pointing
hook should have a better hookup ratio. The jury is still out on this,
but the hookup rate is certainly no less than the standard pattern. This
clearly means that more research is needed.

Materials

Hook: Mustad 34011, size 4

Tail: bucktail, color to match foam body

Body: closed cell foam, double the
length of the hook shank – half tied to the shank, half folded over
(from hook bend to eye) as the back

Legs: hackle colored to match the foam body, attached at the rear of the hook bend and palmered to the hook eye

Try Topside for Redfish

by Dr. Aaron Adams

photos by Aaron Adams

Floating Flies for Redfish

AS THE TIDE TURNED and began to flood, I poled the boat
across a shallow grass flat, just inside the sandbar that separated the
flat from the Intracoastal Waterway. Many of the large boats that
blasted past reminded me of Rodney Dangerfield’s short, destructive,
ill-fated yacht voyage in the movie Caddyshack. So when I
muttered ‘what a couple of Rodneys’ when two boats passing in opposite
directions neglected to slow down, and slammed loudly into each other’s
massive wakes, my fishing buddy Doug Hedges knew exactly what I was
talking about. It was amazing — we were close enough to the chaos of the
ICW that we could read the registration numbers on the sides of passing
boat hulls, and we were stalking tailing redfish. Except for us, these
redfish were unmolested.

You have to give Doug credit, he seems ready to try
something new at least once. And on the bow, he stood ready to cast to
the next tailer that came into range — with, of all things, a gurgler
tied to his tippet. Some folks know this is a good technique, but when I
suggest they try a surface fly for tough tailing redfish, most anglers
show a look of disbelief, even suspicion. But not Doug, he was all for a
new approach.

Why a Gurgler?

A topwater fly is farthest from many angler’s minds when
they are casting to tailing redfish. The fish are, after all, digging
their noses in the bottom for shrimp, crabs, worms, or small
bottom-dwelling fish like gobies and blennies. Why on earth would an
angler in their right mind choose a surface pattern? After all, redfish
don’t eat with their tails. A topwater fly can be a good choice for
three reasons.

First, a redfish intent on digging out prey buried in the
bottom is often so focused that it doesn’t see it’s surroundings. This
is one reason it is possible to pole a boat right up to a tailing
redfish without being noticed until the boat almost overtakes the
feeding fish. On numerous occasions I’ve been able to wade close enough
to a tailing redfish to touch it with my rod tip. Actively tailing
redfish can also stir up enough bottom that visibility in their
immediate surroundings drops to zero, obscuring any fly in the murk. In
either case, even the most perfectly placed fly might not be noticed.

Second, even tailing redfish pick their heads up out of
the bottom every once in a while as they move on in search of more prey.
There is a good chance that a redfish moving in search of more food
will see the motion at the surface and investigate. And it’s not
uncommon for a bottom grubbing redfish to scare up small prey that make a
break for it. So that same redfish that was so engrossed in digging for
a mud crab that it never saw the perfectly presented fly might see the
surface commotion of a gurgler, and mistake the fly for an escaping
prey. Many times I’ve watched small shrimp and fish squirt from the
water as they try to avoid a feeding redfish. And I’ve seen redfish that
were lackadaisically tailing suddenly erupt at the surface to grab
these would-be escapees.

Third, in many of the flats where anglers fish for
tailing redfish, the seagrass is thick and tall. The densely packed
seagrass blades can act as a barrier, preventing a tailing fish from
seeing a fly only inches away. And at a very low tide, the upper
portions of the grass blades lay across the surface, and the tips reach
to the surface at a medium tide, making it tough to get a sinking fly to
the bottom. A weedless gurgler helps get around both of these
challenges and puts the fly in an area where it can be seen by a
redfish.

A gurgler is my surface fly of choice because it is
light, so is easy to cast long distances and lands on the water lightly.
Both characteristics are necessary when fishing to tailing redfish on
shallow flats. The gurgler is also versatile in how it can be fished —
loudly, so it makes a lot of commotion, or softly, so it barely ripples
the surface. So it’s easy to imitate different prey — soft and slow for
shrimp and loud and fast for the finger mullet that can be abundant in
fall — and the changing moods of redfish.

When

I first started using gurglers for tailing redfish, in
part, out of frustration. My favorite flats for tailing redfish are
covered with lush turtle grass and shoal grass. It can be wearing to
make good cast after good cast to a tailing fish and get no response
because it never saw the fly among the many grass blades. My strategy
when fishing for tailing reds is pretty simple — get the fly into the
fish’s sight zone and make sure the fish sees it. I know the fish has
seen the fly when it changes it’s behavior — it either reacts
positively, by following or taking the fly, or negatively, by avoiding
the fly or suddenly swimming in the other direction. Often, redfish
feeding in thick seagrass don’t react at all, so likely never see the
fly.

An unweighted fly that sinks very slowly is a good choice
in these situations because the fly spends more time in mid-water,
where it is more visible, while a weighted fly that sinks straight to
the bottom is quickly lost. However, even an unweighted fly that hovers
mid-water can remain unseen by a redfish feeding in thick grass. If I
can get the gurgler in front of the redfish, it’s a good bet the fish
will see the fly.

Another good situation for using a gurgler is when there
are a lot of redfish around, but they aren’t staying put long enough to
stalk and cast to any particular fish. The first time I tried a gurgler
in frustration was on a day when the flat was full of tailing fish.
Well, fish were tailing everywhere but where I was. Fish weren’t feeding
very long in a spot, but instead would tail for a few seconds and then
move on. There was really no point in stalking, so I drifted across the
flat blind-casting a gurgler. This can be an especially successful
strategy in late summer and fall when juvenile mullet (aka finger mullet) are often common on the flats, and a favorite food of the larger redfish that invade the flats in fall.

My favorite situation for using a gurgler is casting to
redfish that are pushing a bow-wake as they slowly cruise from one
eating spot to the next. I’ll often see these fish tail some distance
away, then right themselves and slowly head off in search of more prey.
Sometimes, the dorsal and upper tail fins of these fish will be out of
the water. These fish move slowly and deliberately enough that I can
guess their course and put myself in the best location to make a good
cast. I like to lead these fish by a healthy enough distance that they
can’t see the fly or fly line in the air, and let the fly sit until they
are within a few feet before beginning my retrieve.

Strategies

When casting a gurgler to a tailing or cruising redfish, I
use a leader of 10 - 12 feet or more, with 12 lb. fluorocarbon tippet.
For tailers I use a long leader because I try to cast past the fish, to
the side the head is pointing. I then bring the fly back over the fish.
If the fish continues to tail, I’ll make the fly pop to get the fish’s
attention. If the fish is not tailing, I continue retrieving the fly in
short strips. Using this strategy, a shorter leader would cause the fly
line to land over the fish, likely spooking the fish and ruining my
chances for a hookup.

For blind-casting, a longer leader means I have less
chance of accidentally lining a fish with the fly line during a cast.
The longer leader also provides better separation between the fly line
and fly, so there is less chance a redfish coming to check out the fly’s
commotion will intersect the fly line.

Cruisers are swimming near the surface, with their cone
of vision pointing forward and upward. A longer leader helps me keep the
fly line out of this cone of vision during the cast. I use 12 lb rather
than 20 lb leader because heavier leader tends to pull the gurgler
down. And I find that fluorocarbon tippets make a difference because the
waters I fish tend to be clear.

Long casts are usually best, because even redfish that
attack the gurgler aggressively tend to miss the fly a few times before
they get it in their mouth. With their mouth on the underside of their
snout, redfish have to either raise their head out of the water so they
come down on the fly, or turn sideways to get a better angle on the fly
from below. When a redfish brings its head out of the water to get over
the fly, its eyes come above the water surface, so they can spot an
angler that is close by. And less aggressive redfish will often follow a
gurgler for an excruciatingly long distance, so a long cast gives the
fish more time to decide to take the fly.

When a redfish strikes a gurgler, it is usually an
exciting show — often an explosion on the fly. The temptation is to rear
back and set the hook. In most circumstances, this will result in a
fish circling in confusion as it searches for the fly that you just
launched past your ear. Remember, they’ll often miss the fly the first
time. It takes some control, but keep stripping the fly in the same
manner that induced the redfish into attacking it, and strip strike when
you feel tension on the line. Don’t lift the rod until you’re sure the
fish is hooked. Easier said than done.

Success

Back to the fishing.

Getting in range of a tailing redfish was the biggest
challenge. For a while, it seemed that every fish we saw would tail
aggressively until we were just into casting range, and then suddenly
disappear, only to reappear a few minutes later just a little farther
away: a frustrating pattern that redfish seem to follow frequently.

Doug got decent casts to a couple fish, one of which
ignored the fly as it moved off to another spot, and a second that
looked at the fly and suddenly bolted when Doug stripped the fly ever so
slightly. The eruption caused by the second fish was entertainment in
itself.

Doug made a couple casts that had been ignored by a third
tailer, as the fish alternately tailed and moved, tailed and moved.
When the fish had not shown itself for a minute or so, I began to scan
the flat for more action. Then Doug let out a "WHOOP." I turned
to see his rod doubled over and fly line jumping off the deck and
through the guides in pursuit of a surprised redfish. A few minutes
later, we had the fish boatside, and Doug had his first redfish on a
gurgler. We were able to get one more fish before the tailing action
died down, the sun dipped low, and we made the run back to the boat
ramp.

Would a standard fly pattern for tailing redfish have
worked? Perhaps, but it wouldn’t have been as exciting or visual a take.
And we didn’t have to worry about making the perfect cast and keeping
the fly snag-free.

Tying the Gurgler

The gurgler is an easy fly to tie, and is surprisingly durable for being made mostly of soft foam.

I use pliable closed cell foam in either tan or white.
Tan is good for imitating shrimp and some of the small fish that live on
the flats. White is good for imitating finger mullet and is easier to
see at dusk, one of my favorite times for fishing for tailing redfish. I
use a long shank hook — either for tying a longer, shrimp-like body, or
to tie a keel-hook style weedless version. For the standard,
long-bodied pattern, I tie in a mono weedguard just behind the hook eye.
For the keel-hook style fly, I use pliers to bend the hook backwards,
the bend at approximately 2/3 the length of the shank behind the hook
eye. The foam body is then tied on the same side of the hook as the hook
bend. This fly will ride with the hook point up, making it weedless. I
originally began tying the keel-style fly because so many redfish were
striking the fly without getting hooked. The theory is that since
redfish so often come down on the fly from above, an upward pointing
hook should have a better hookup ratio. The jury is still out on this,
but the hookup rate is certainly no less than the standard pattern. This
clearly means that more research is needed.

Materials

Hook: Mustad 34011, size 4

Tail: bucktail, color to match foam body

Body: closed cell foam, double the
length of the hook shank – half tied to the shank, half folded over
(from hook bend to eye) as the back

Legs: hackle colored to match the foam body, attached at the rear of the hook bend and palmered to the hook eye

detdesc::For most anglers in North America, being introduced to fly fishing comes in the form of trout fishing. In trout fly fishing today, the dead drift presentation is king, whether using weight nymphs and indicators, or dry flies.

But this wasn't always the case. Before plastic fly lines, modern fly tying materials like foam, and advanced silicon fly flotants, fly fishing looked a lot different. With silk lines and sparsely tied mayfly imitations, 19th century anglers on England's chalk streams perfected the 'dapping' presentation, in which a dry fly is carefully alighted in the surface film by an elevated rod tip. By today's standards, dapping seems pretty basic, but it was lethal back in the day -- as it still is on remote waters today.

Before too long, these pipe-smoking, tweed-clad chalk stream anglers had developed a more sophisticated type of presentation, called the swing, which can be used with dry and wet flies alike. In the swing, the line and fly are cast across the current, then allowed to swing, under tension, down and across the stream.

Where dead drifting flies is all about controlling slack to allow an unimpeded drift, swing fishing is all about keeping tension. After the cast, and perhaps after a mend, as the angler holds the fly line to the rod's cork handle, the fly begins to draw a perfect arc across the stream, hopefully across a few fish's lies, and into a position immediately below the angler called the hang-down. From this position, the angler can cast back across and repeat the swing. If using a two-handed fly rod, the angler can do this with incredible speed and ease.

In close touch with the fly thanks to the tight line, the angler can feel every pulse and tick of the fly as it is buffeted by the changing currents. Anglers can also feel intimately the moment when a fish takes -- often violently.

As no surprise, swinging soft hackles charmed the brown trout living in England's chalk streams. Before long, anglers were using the swing to search for salmon in the wide riffly rivers of the British Isles. Although today's trout can, of course, be fished successfully with the swing, it is in anadromous fly fishing where the swing presentation has continued to flourish.

Line technology has improved, and fly design has changed, as the swing has been adapted for steelhead fishing in North America and sea-run brown trout fishing in South America, but the essence of the swing remains unchanged. By casting a fixed length of line, and taking a step downstream between casts, anglers can search every square foot of a salmon or steelhead run in a series of arcs, each drawn just below the last.

Today, as it did a couple centuries ago, the swing provides the space for outstanding angler skill to be practiced, but it also creates the opportunity to sit back and take in a river's majestic surroundings. With line in hand, and fly swimming across the currents, anglers can sit back and watch the birds fly by, observe wildlife come to the water, and basically settle a little deeper into a riverine environment. Because of this zen-like quality, the swing remains the favorite presentation of dedicated salmon and steelhead anglers worldwide.

For most anglers in North America, being introduced to fly fishing comes in the form of trout fishing. In trout fly fishing today, the dead drift presentation is king, whether using weight nymphs and indicators, or dry flies.

But this wasn't always the case. Before plastic fly lines, modern fly tying materials like foam, and advanced silicon fly flotants, fly fishing looked a lot different. With silk lines and sparsely tied mayfly imitations, 19th century anglers on England's chalk streams perfected the 'dapping' presentation, in which a dry fly is carefully alighted in the surface film by an elevated rod tip. By today's standards, dapping seems pretty basic, but it was lethal back in the day -- as it still is on remote waters today.

Before too long, these pipe-smoking, tweed-clad chalk stream anglers had developed a more sophisticated type of presentation, called the swing, which can be used with dry and wet flies alike. In the swing, the line and fly are cast across the current, then allowed to swing, under tension, down and across the stream.

Where dead drifting flies is all about controlling slack to allow an unimpeded drift, swing fishing is all about keeping tension. After the cast, and perhaps after a mend, as the angler holds the fly line to the rod's cork handle, the fly begins to draw a perfect arc across the stream, hopefully across a few fish's lies, and into a position immediately below the angler called the hang-down. From this position, the angler can cast back across and repeat the swing. If using a two-handed fly rod, the angler can do this with incredible speed and ease.

In close touch with the fly thanks to the tight line, the angler can feel every pulse and tick of the fly as it is buffeted by the changing currents. Anglers can also feel intimately the moment when a fish takes -- often violently.

As no surprise, swinging soft hackles charmed the brown trout living in England's chalk streams. Before long, anglers were using the swing to search for salmon in the wide riffly rivers of the British Isles. Although today's trout can, of course, be fished successfully with the swing, it is in anadromous fly fishing where the swing presentation has continued to flourish.

Line technology has improved, and fly design has changed, as the swing has been adapted for steelhead fishing in North America and sea-run brown trout fishing in South America, but the essence of the swing remains unchanged. By casting a fixed length of line, and taking a step downstream between casts, anglers can search every square foot of a salmon or steelhead run in a series of arcs, each drawn just below the last.

Today, as it did a couple centuries ago, the swing provides the space for outstanding angler skill to be practiced, but it also creates the opportunity to sit back and take in a river's majestic surroundings. With line in hand, and fly swimming across the currents, anglers can sit back and watch the birds fly by, observe wildlife come to the water, and basically settle a little deeper into a riverine environment. Because of this zen-like quality, the swing remains the favorite presentation of dedicated salmon and steelhead anglers worldwide.

Josh is the owner of Leland Fly Fishing Outfitters, which he named after his grandfather, whose love of the sport was passed down to him through generations. Josh travels the world in pursuit of fish, but his favorite fishing holes are back at his roots in the small mountain streams of the Eastern Sierra. - "I do anything that is needed to make it all work for my great employees and customers."

desc::Josh is the owner of Leland Fly Fishing Outfitters, which he named after his grandfather, whose love of the sport was passed down to him through generations. Josh travels the world in pursuit of fish, but his favorite fishing holes are back at his roots in the small mountain streams of the Eastern Sierra. - "I do anything that is needed to make it all work for my great employees and customers."

detdesc::How did you get started fly fishing? What were/are your strongest fly fishing Influences? What was your most memorable or first fly fishing experience?

While conventional fishing with my father on the banks of the San Joaquin each summer, I watched casters of those long rods paint the water with dry flies. These fly fishermen were free to search every nook of the stream for the native, colorful, and wily trout. I feared this type of angling freedom was not available to me. Luckily, driven by the legacy of my Grandfather and images of these "free" fly fishers, I challenged my apprehension and picked up a fly rod.

What do you like to fish now? Explain How?

Steelhead and Tarpon are the fish I travel for each year. I love the Florida Keys, in the off season, for specific permit, tarpon and bonefish trips. I will fish for anything that will come to a dry fly. A six inch golden, in its native water, rising to a dry fly is the best thing in the world.

What is your fantasy trip? What do you see in the future

Fishing any small stream in the golden state with my wife, two daughters and two dogs.

Gear. What is your next purchase and why?

We have just designed the coolest fly-fishing gear in the world. Stay Tuned. After 15 years in the industry, I had lost a lot of the excitement about gear. No longer. I want 5 of each!!

What’s your favorite San Francisco spot? Why?

Much to my wife’s dismay my favorite spot in San Francisco is Fishermen’s Wharf. Everyone there is on vacation, happy and visiting my city. Their smiling faces reminded me that I live in the best city in the world. I also like the Fishermen part of the Wharf.

What music do you listen to when you hop in the truck and go fly fishing?

I listen, exclusively, to Willie Nelson on my way to fishing. His songs are real and dusty, like the roads to the best fishing.

I have half of the rig. A 16 foot Airstream Bambi. I want a Sportsmobile 4WD with pop up, racks, storage and full sound in Yellow to pull it!

Anything else we should know about you? School? Hometown? Other projects, interests, etc.?

Joshua was born in Oxford, England and has lived in Maine, Boston, Toronto, upstate New York, and San Francisco. Josh is an avid fly fisherman who has fished near and far for much of his life. Josh graduated from Colgate University in Hamilton, New York in 1997 where he studied Economics. Following his graduation, Josh moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and began his work in the fly fishing industry with Orvis of San Francisco. In 1998, Josh left Orvis and joined the staff at San Francisco’s Fly Fishing Outfitters and in 1999 he took over the operation, renaming it Leland Fly Fishing Outfitters after his grandfather, Leland Frazier. Since then, Josh has successfully positioned himself and his growing business as innovators in fly fishing specialty retail and fly fishing education both in traditional and online channels. Josh continues to travel the world extensively in search of tarpon and steelhead. He is a Master certified fly casting instructor and is working on his master certifications in Spey casting. During the week, when not at the San Francisco shop, you can catch him teaching private casting lessons at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park Casting Ponds.

Josh’s home is now in San Francisco, CA, where he lives with his wife, two daughters, and two dogs. In his free time, Josh enjoys learning guitar with his wife. He is also an avid soccer player who enjoys the competitive city leagues for which the Bay Area is famous.

How did you get started fly fishing? What were/are your strongest fly fishing Influences? What was your most memorable or first fly fishing experience?

While conventional fishing with my father on the banks of the San Joaquin each summer, I watched casters of those long rods paint the water with dry flies. These fly fishermen were free to search every nook of the stream for the native, colorful, and wily trout. I feared this type of angling freedom was not available to me. Luckily, driven by the legacy of my Grandfather and images of these "free" fly fishers, I challenged my apprehension and picked up a fly rod.

What do you like to fish now? Explain How?

Steelhead and Tarpon are the fish I travel for each year. I love the Florida Keys, in the off season, for specific permit, tarpon and bonefish trips. I will fish for anything that will come to a dry fly. A six inch golden, in its native water, rising to a dry fly is the best thing in the world.

What is your fantasy trip? What do you see in the future

Fishing any small stream in the golden state with my wife, two daughters and two dogs.

Gear. What is your next purchase and why?

We have just designed the coolest fly-fishing gear in the world. Stay Tuned. After 15 years in the industry, I had lost a lot of the excitement about gear. No longer. I want 5 of each!!

What’s your favorite San Francisco spot? Why?

Much to my wife’s dismay my favorite spot in San Francisco is Fishermen’s Wharf. Everyone there is on vacation, happy and visiting my city. Their smiling faces reminded me that I live in the best city in the world. I also like the Fishermen part of the Wharf.

What music do you listen to when you hop in the truck and go fly fishing?

I listen, exclusively, to Willie Nelson on my way to fishing. His songs are real and dusty, like the roads to the best fishing.

I have half of the rig. A 16 foot Airstream Bambi. I want a Sportsmobile 4WD with pop up, racks, storage and full sound in Yellow to pull it!

Anything else we should know about you? School? Hometown? Other projects, interests, etc.?

Joshua was born in Oxford, England and has lived in Maine, Boston, Toronto, upstate New York, and San Francisco. Josh is an avid fly fisherman who has fished near and far for much of his life. Josh graduated from Colgate University in Hamilton, New York in 1997 where he studied Economics. Following his graduation, Josh moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and began his work in the fly fishing industry with Orvis of San Francisco. In 1998, Josh left Orvis and joined the staff at San Francisco’s Fly Fishing Outfitters and in 1999 he took over the operation, renaming it Leland Fly Fishing Outfitters after his grandfather, Leland Frazier. Since then, Josh has successfully positioned himself and his growing business as innovators in fly fishing specialty retail and fly fishing education both in traditional and online channels. Josh continues to travel the world extensively in search of tarpon and steelhead. He is a Master certified fly casting instructor and is working on his master certifications in Spey casting. During the week, when not at the San Francisco shop, you can catch him teaching private casting lessons at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park Casting Ponds.

Josh’s home is now in San Francisco, CA, where he lives with his wife, two daughters, and two dogs. In his free time, Josh enjoys learning guitar with his wife. He is also an avid soccer player who enjoys the competitive city leagues for which the Bay Area is famous.

The Tarpon is a giant among saltwater game fish. Although it is not the largest game fish a fly angler can catch and release, it’s known as “the silver king” throughout the warm lagoons, estuaries, thick mangrove swamps, and saltwater flats of southeastern North America, the Caribbean, and northeastern coast of South America. The tarpon: saltwater royalty. Adult tarpon can easily reach 6 or 7 feet in length and can weigh well over 150 pounds.

desc::The Tarpon is a giant among saltwater game fish. Although it is not the largest game fish a fly angler can catch and release, it’s known as “the silver king” throughout the warm lagoons, estuaries, thick mangrove swamps, and saltwater flats of southeastern North America, the Caribbean, and northeastern coast of South America. The tarpon: saltwater royalty. Adult tarpon can easily reach 6 or 7 feet in length and can weigh well over 150 pounds.

“Then the water split with a hissing sound to let out a great
tarpon, long as a door, seemingly as wide, who shot up and up into the
air … Five times he sprang toward the blue sky, and as many he plunged
down with a thunderous crash. The reel screamed. The line sang. The rod,
which I thought stiff as a tree, bent like a willow wand. The silver
king came up far astern and sheered to the right in a long, wide curve,
leaving behind a white wake.”

- Zane Grey, “Byme-by-tarpon.”

The tarpon is a giant among saltwater game fish.
Although it is not the largest game fish a fly angler can catch and
release, it’s known as “the silver king” throughout the warm lagoons,
estuaries, thick mangrove swamps, and saltwater flats of southeastern
North America, the Caribbean, and northeastern coast of South America.
The tarpon: saltwater royalty. Adult tarpon can easily reach 6 or 7 feet
in length and can weigh well over 150 pounds. The Megalops atlanticus is astonishingly powerful
and is famous among anglers as the mythological silver beast that can
walk on water. Tarpon, once hooked, are known for jumping and thrashing
about, sometimes longer than 3 hours, their tails skitting across the
flat.

The silver king, although caught by indigenous tribes in the Florida
Keys probably as early as the 1700s, was officially discovered and named
in 1847 by the French parasitologist Archille Valenciennes during his
work with Georges Cuvier on their Natural History of Fish, a whopping
22-volume work published between 1828 and 1848. Valenciennes placed the
tarpon within the genus Megalops (Greek for “large eye”) because of its
prominent and daunting black eyes. Since the turn of the century, a
great body of literature, historical and otherwise, has been developed
on the subject of tarpon. Fly fishing for tarpon is now a wildly popular
sporting pursuit among anglers from Georgia to the Florida Keys, and
tarpon are also highly sought after throughout the coastal waters of the
Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. Recently, giant tarpon in the 300
pound class have been caught on fly tackle off the southwestern coast of
Africa. Tarpon have been so popular in the Gulf region of the United
States that in 1955, by act no. 564 of the Alabama state legislature,
the “fighting tarpon” became the state’s official saltwater fish.
Rolling and dashing through skinny saltwater flats and estuaries tarpon
inhabit a range of 49°N - 44°s, 99°w - 14°e, but they have been recorded
as far north as Nova Scotia, along the Atlantic coast of Southern
France, and as far south as Argentina. The tarpon uses the thin water of
the saltwater flats to feed on smaller baitfish and crustaceans. The
deeper water of the open ocean is the tarpon’s spawning grounds. The
tarpon does have a counterpart native to the Pacific Ocean (Megalops cyprinoids or Indo-Pacific tarpon), but this tarpon is a much smaller fish and not prized among fly anglers.

Tarpon are an ancient fish that has survived 125 million years of
evolutionary tumult. One of the oldest living species in the ocean, the
tarpon carries an almost otherworldly
presence. Just catching a glimpse of a rolling school of giant tarpon
is an intimidating sight even to the most confident fly angler. The
tarpon’s huge bucket-like jaws and large black eyes compliment its
thick, powerful body. When tarpon clear the top water during a jump,
their massive set of mirror-polished scales clatter and clack audibly
with the tremendous force of the maneuver. The tarpon’s fins are a dark,
steely gray and the tail is deeply forked, providing the silver king
with a tremendous amount of underwater leverage and speed.
According to historical accounts dating from the late 1800s, anglers
have been able to catch tarpon on artificial flies with reasonable
success. Since then fly fishing for tarpon has steadily increased in
popularity owing to rousing tales of madly fighting fish from such
popular authors as Zane Grey and, more recently, Lefty Kreh. The rising
interest in saltwater fly fishing, coupled with tarpon-specific articles
and books by other fly fishing greats have fueled the rush to master
tarpon on a fly. Today, there is now an extensive network of guides fly
fishing exclusively for tarpon from Florida to South America, and a
number of tournaments and other competitions celebrating fly fishing for
tarpon have also cropped up in recent years.

Fly anglers should understand that there are three classes or sizes of
tarpon: baby tarpon, midsize tarpon, and giant tarpon. Baby tarpon range
from 5 to 40 pounds, midsize tarpon fill the 50 to 80 pound class, and
the giant tarpon weighs in at an astonishing 100+ pounds. Anglers
looking to chase tarpon on the fly should think seriously about which
weight class they are after before they gear up and head on that tarpon
trip of a lifetime. Smaller tarpon are often found cruising on the edges
of saltwater flats and in brackish inland estuaries and mangrove
swamps. Larger tarpon are usually found cruising and rolling in
saltwater flats.

Baby and midsize tarpon offer quite a fighting challenge on an 8 weight
or 9 weight outfit. Giant tarpon, however, require much heavier 11 or 12
weight outfits. Fast action fly fishing rods are popular among tarpon
anglers for their ability to assist the caster in creating the long,
accurate casts (often into heavy wind) required when sight casting for
tarpon. It’s important to have top-notch fishing tools when stalking
tarpon of any size in the saltwater flats; an angler, even on the best
day, may only get 3 or 4 good casts at fish!

As with any saltwater flats game fish, spotting a tarpon can be a challenge. Sunny conditions on saltwater
flats can produce some of the world’s most visually taxing conditions,
and the sheer brightness of the glare on the water can be overwhelming. A
good pair of polarized sunglasses with copper photochromatic lenses can
– on some days – be considered the saltwater fly angler’s most useful
fishing tool. Yellow photochromatic lenses can be useful for morning
light conditions, so if you plan to fish from dawn until dusk, consider
two pairs of shades. (Experience in spotting tarpon, or a guide perched
atop the polling platform of a specialized flats skiff will also help!)

There is a recent movement among saltwater fly anglers who chase tarpon
to “dredge” deeper channels and estuaries for tarpon of all size
classes. This dredging method is anchored in common blind casting
techniques familiar to striped bass fly anglers of the North American
coasts. Dredging for tarpon with a sinking line can be productive, but
remains a relatively new and unproven tactic in the quiver of tarpon fly
fishers.

Perhaps the easiest way to recognize the location of a single, pair, or
school of tarpon is by the characteristic “rolling” action the species
exhibits. The tarpon is equipped with a swim bladder, allowing them to
survive and thrive in brackish swamps and saltwater flats as well as the
open ocean. Tarpon will periodically appear at the water’s surface to
take in a breath, filling their swim bladder before rolling back into
the salty depths. This process, although graceful, can cause quite a
stir. Fly anglers should be on the lookout for large boils and bubbles
in the top water accompanied by a silvery flash – this is likely a
rolling tarpon.

Large tarpon in saltwater flats will aggressively chase and take a
well-presented fly, adding to the species’ storied place in saltwater
game fish mythology. Tarpon will respond energetically to a fly moving
directly away from them. Creating this effect can be achieved with a
hook cast or a reach cast, both practiced techniques used by freshwater
fly anglers. Saltwater flats can offer a fly angler some of the most
challenging casting conditions on earth. Long, tuned, and accurate casts
of 60 to 70 feet are often necessary. Once the fly is properly
presented to the tarpon, the stripping game is on. Anglers will invariably
disagree on which are the most effective methods for retrieving the fly
when fly fishing for tarpon in the saltwater flats. In one conversation
on the subject, one might hear “fast, slow, smooth, jerky” … often in
the same breath. Never fear, a local guide will often know just how to
play and move a fly to produce results; listen to what they have to say!
Be patient though, as tarpon have been known to chase a well-presented
and retrieved fly all the way to the boat before striking!

Brackish inland estuaries and mangrove swamps offer saltwater fly
anglers amazing chances to cast to, catch and release baby tarpon. Some
canal systems – especially in southwest Florida – provide excellent
shelter for juvenile tarpon, even through the slow winter months. When
fishing these environments, work streamers as close to the mangrove
roots as possible. As the tide goes out, more and more of these mangrove
roots will be exposed, leaving behind an excellent feeding shelf for
baby tarpon. Remember: well-presented flies will move silver kings!

Simply hooking a tarpon can be an operatic experience in itself. The
tarpon’s mouth is extremely hard and has been likened to tough
construction-grade concrete. Subsequently, successful hook sets are
almost more challenging than actually getting an aggressive tarpon to
take a well-presented fly. Practice in firm and confident strip setting
techniques is extremely important when fly fishing for tarpon. When a
tarpon finally chomps the fly, and the hook is set, the fish will put on
an impressive aerial acrobatics show. Seasoned tarpon anglers, when
trading notes on a day’s work, will often proudly include the number of
“fish jumped” as well as the number of fish landed. Tarpon are
consistently observed jumping 3 or 4 feet above the water after a hook
up. During this aggressive jumping and thrashing, fly, fly line, and
tippet are at their most vulnerable point. It is extremely important to
protect rigging and tackle by keeping the rod tip as low as possible
during the initial few jumps. This process is called “bowing” to the
fish, and it’s no secret, bowing to the silver king will minimize the
chance of losing a tarpon to a snapped line or leader.

Tarpon fly anglers presented with the challenge of keeping a
tail-walking silver king on the line have developed a number of rigging
techniques designed to stand up
to what many think are the toughest and wildest fighters in the salt.
Taking a nod from the rigging standards employed by bill fish and tuna
anglers, anglers in hot pursuit of monster tarpon have experimented with
extremely complex, heavy rigs. The standard 9 foot tarpon leader,
however, consists of a heavy 60 pound butt section, a section of 16 to
20 class tippet, and finally a short, one foot section of 60 to 100
pound mono shock tippet. This rig is the standard for many medium to
large tarpon, but there are other options for the really large fish. Be
sure to ask your local fly shop about the leaders you should have ready
to go before you board the plane for your chosen tropical tarpon
destination. Keeping this general rigging rule for tarpon fishing can be
helpful: When traveling to far-flung destinations, bring your rigging
with you. When traveling to the Florida Keys, a good guide should
provide all you need to jump and land the tarpon of your dreams.

Do not head to the saltwater flats in search of tarpon armed with a
sub-standard fly reel. The stress a tarpon can place on even the
strongest rods, lines, and leaders is truly impressive – to say the very
least. The fly reel is the mechanical link for your connection to the
fish and if it goes south, so does your time on the water. Be sure to
find a reel with an iron-clad drag system and a large arbor for easy
line pick up. The reel should also be large enough to store between 200
and 250 yards of backing; if you find yourself connected to a rolling
fish, you’ll use it.

When at home along the saltwater flats, tarpon will hunt and feed mostly
on baitfish. When migrating and spawning, tarpon are more likely to
feed instinctively on smaller crustaceans. Regardless of the situation,
however, tarpon will aggressively chase a well-presented fly. Large
streamer patterns are the most effective flies for tarpon of all sizes,
but some smaller crab and shrimp patterns will yield good results on
days when the silver kings are on the move or in a more selective mood.

A favorite classic tarpon fly from Florida to the Bahamas is the
Cockroach, developed by saltwater fly fishing legend Lefty Kreh. Other
proven tarpon flies include Lefty’s Deceiver, the Clouser Minnow, and
the Sea Habit. When tarpon are migrating or on the spawn, the Tarpon
Shrimp, Tarpon Crab, and the Seaducer are another trio of useful tarpon
flies to have on hand, and the Campeche Special is a brilliant fly for
baby tarpon in the mangroves of Mexico’s Gulf Coast.

Tarpon offer fly anglers a unique challenge; discovering the proper
blend of power, strategy, concentration, and finesse is crucial when on
the flats or in the brackish water in search of rolling tarpon. The
majesty of the tarpon survives in a heap of literature from Grey to
Kreh, and with good reason. Holding court, the tarpon truly is the
silver king of the flats, offering excited anglers throughout the
tropics the sport, the drama, the epic struggle, and the joy of the
great kings of mythology.

“Then the water split with a hissing sound to let out a great
tarpon, long as a door, seemingly as wide, who shot up and up into the
air … Five times he sprang toward the blue sky, and as many he plunged
down with a thunderous crash. The reel screamed. The line sang. The rod,
which I thought stiff as a tree, bent like a willow wand. The silver
king came up far astern and sheered to the right in a long, wide curve,
leaving behind a white wake.”

- Zane Grey, “Byme-by-tarpon.”

The tarpon is a giant among saltwater game fish.
Although it is not the largest game fish a fly angler can catch and
release, it’s known as “the silver king” throughout the warm lagoons,
estuaries, thick mangrove swamps, and saltwater flats of southeastern
North America, the Caribbean, and northeastern coast of South America.
The tarpon: saltwater royalty. Adult tarpon can easily reach 6 or 7 feet
in length and can weigh well over 150 pounds. The Megalops atlanticus is astonishingly powerful
and is famous among anglers as the mythological silver beast that can
walk on water. Tarpon, once hooked, are known for jumping and thrashing
about, sometimes longer than 3 hours, their tails skitting across the
flat.

The silver king, although caught by indigenous tribes in the Florida
Keys probably as early as the 1700s, was officially discovered and named
in 1847 by the French parasitologist Archille Valenciennes during his
work with Georges Cuvier on their Natural History of Fish, a whopping
22-volume work published between 1828 and 1848. Valenciennes placed the
tarpon within the genus Megalops (Greek for “large eye”) because of its
prominent and daunting black eyes. Since the turn of the century, a
great body of literature, historical and otherwise, has been developed
on the subject of tarpon. Fly fishing for tarpon is now a wildly popular
sporting pursuit among anglers from Georgia to the Florida Keys, and
tarpon are also highly sought after throughout the coastal waters of the
Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. Recently, giant tarpon in the 300
pound class have been caught on fly tackle off the southwestern coast of
Africa. Tarpon have been so popular in the Gulf region of the United
States that in 1955, by act no. 564 of the Alabama state legislature,
the “fighting tarpon” became the state’s official saltwater fish.
Rolling and dashing through skinny saltwater flats and estuaries tarpon
inhabit a range of 49°N - 44°s, 99°w - 14°e, but they have been recorded
as far north as Nova Scotia, along the Atlantic coast of Southern
France, and as far south as Argentina. The tarpon uses the thin water of
the saltwater flats to feed on smaller baitfish and crustaceans. The
deeper water of the open ocean is the tarpon’s spawning grounds. The
tarpon does have a counterpart native to the Pacific Ocean (Megalops cyprinoids or Indo-Pacific tarpon), but this tarpon is a much smaller fish and not prized among fly anglers.

Tarpon are an ancient fish that has survived 125 million years of
evolutionary tumult. One of the oldest living species in the ocean, the
tarpon carries an almost otherworldly
presence. Just catching a glimpse of a rolling school of giant tarpon
is an intimidating sight even to the most confident fly angler. The
tarpon’s huge bucket-like jaws and large black eyes compliment its
thick, powerful body. When tarpon clear the top water during a jump,
their massive set of mirror-polished scales clatter and clack audibly
with the tremendous force of the maneuver. The tarpon’s fins are a dark,
steely gray and the tail is deeply forked, providing the silver king
with a tremendous amount of underwater leverage and speed.
According to historical accounts dating from the late 1800s, anglers
have been able to catch tarpon on artificial flies with reasonable
success. Since then fly fishing for tarpon has steadily increased in
popularity owing to rousing tales of madly fighting fish from such
popular authors as Zane Grey and, more recently, Lefty Kreh. The rising
interest in saltwater fly fishing, coupled with tarpon-specific articles
and books by other fly fishing greats have fueled the rush to master
tarpon on a fly. Today, there is now an extensive network of guides fly
fishing exclusively for tarpon from Florida to South America, and a
number of tournaments and other competitions celebrating fly fishing for
tarpon have also cropped up in recent years.

Fly anglers should understand that there are three classes or sizes of
tarpon: baby tarpon, midsize tarpon, and giant tarpon. Baby tarpon range
from 5 to 40 pounds, midsize tarpon fill the 50 to 80 pound class, and
the giant tarpon weighs in at an astonishing 100+ pounds. Anglers
looking to chase tarpon on the fly should think seriously about which
weight class they are after before they gear up and head on that tarpon
trip of a lifetime. Smaller tarpon are often found cruising on the edges
of saltwater flats and in brackish inland estuaries and mangrove
swamps. Larger tarpon are usually found cruising and rolling in
saltwater flats.

Baby and midsize tarpon offer quite a fighting challenge on an 8 weight
or 9 weight outfit. Giant tarpon, however, require much heavier 11 or 12
weight outfits. Fast action fly fishing rods are popular among tarpon
anglers for their ability to assist the caster in creating the long,
accurate casts (often into heavy wind) required when sight casting for
tarpon. It’s important to have top-notch fishing tools when stalking
tarpon of any size in the saltwater flats; an angler, even on the best
day, may only get 3 or 4 good casts at fish!

As with any saltwater flats game fish, spotting a tarpon can be a challenge. Sunny conditions on saltwater
flats can produce some of the world’s most visually taxing conditions,
and the sheer brightness of the glare on the water can be overwhelming. A
good pair of polarized sunglasses with copper photochromatic lenses can
– on some days – be considered the saltwater fly angler’s most useful
fishing tool. Yellow photochromatic lenses can be useful for morning
light conditions, so if you plan to fish from dawn until dusk, consider
two pairs of shades. (Experience in spotting tarpon, or a guide perched
atop the polling platform of a specialized flats skiff will also help!)

There is a recent movement among saltwater fly anglers who chase tarpon
to “dredge” deeper channels and estuaries for tarpon of all size
classes. This dredging method is anchored in common blind casting
techniques familiar to striped bass fly anglers of the North American
coasts. Dredging for tarpon with a sinking line can be productive, but
remains a relatively new and unproven tactic in the quiver of tarpon fly
fishers.

Perhaps the easiest way to recognize the location of a single, pair, or
school of tarpon is by the characteristic “rolling” action the species
exhibits. The tarpon is equipped with a swim bladder, allowing them to
survive and thrive in brackish swamps and saltwater flats as well as the
open ocean. Tarpon will periodically appear at the water’s surface to
take in a breath, filling their swim bladder before rolling back into
the salty depths. This process, although graceful, can cause quite a
stir. Fly anglers should be on the lookout for large boils and bubbles
in the top water accompanied by a silvery flash – this is likely a
rolling tarpon.

Large tarpon in saltwater flats will aggressively chase and take a
well-presented fly, adding to the species’ storied place in saltwater
game fish mythology. Tarpon will respond energetically to a fly moving
directly away from them. Creating this effect can be achieved with a
hook cast or a reach cast, both practiced techniques used by freshwater
fly anglers. Saltwater flats can offer a fly angler some of the most
challenging casting conditions on earth. Long, tuned, and accurate casts
of 60 to 70 feet are often necessary. Once the fly is properly
presented to the tarpon, the stripping game is on. Anglers will invariably
disagree on which are the most effective methods for retrieving the fly
when fly fishing for tarpon in the saltwater flats. In one conversation
on the subject, one might hear “fast, slow, smooth, jerky” … often in
the same breath. Never fear, a local guide will often know just how to
play and move a fly to produce results; listen to what they have to say!
Be patient though, as tarpon have been known to chase a well-presented
and retrieved fly all the way to the boat before striking!

Brackish inland estuaries and mangrove swamps offer saltwater fly
anglers amazing chances to cast to, catch and release baby tarpon. Some
canal systems – especially in southwest Florida – provide excellent
shelter for juvenile tarpon, even through the slow winter months. When
fishing these environments, work streamers as close to the mangrove
roots as possible. As the tide goes out, more and more of these mangrove
roots will be exposed, leaving behind an excellent feeding shelf for
baby tarpon. Remember: well-presented flies will move silver kings!

Simply hooking a tarpon can be an operatic experience in itself. The
tarpon’s mouth is extremely hard and has been likened to tough
construction-grade concrete. Subsequently, successful hook sets are
almost more challenging than actually getting an aggressive tarpon to
take a well-presented fly. Practice in firm and confident strip setting
techniques is extremely important when fly fishing for tarpon. When a
tarpon finally chomps the fly, and the hook is set, the fish will put on
an impressive aerial acrobatics show. Seasoned tarpon anglers, when
trading notes on a day’s work, will often proudly include the number of
“fish jumped” as well as the number of fish landed. Tarpon are
consistently observed jumping 3 or 4 feet above the water after a hook
up. During this aggressive jumping and thrashing, fly, fly line, and
tippet are at their most vulnerable point. It is extremely important to
protect rigging and tackle by keeping the rod tip as low as possible
during the initial few jumps. This process is called “bowing” to the
fish, and it’s no secret, bowing to the silver king will minimize the
chance of losing a tarpon to a snapped line or leader.

Tarpon fly anglers presented with the challenge of keeping a
tail-walking silver king on the line have developed a number of rigging
techniques designed to stand up
to what many think are the toughest and wildest fighters in the salt.
Taking a nod from the rigging standards employed by bill fish and tuna
anglers, anglers in hot pursuit of monster tarpon have experimented with
extremely complex, heavy rigs. The standard 9 foot tarpon leader,
however, consists of a heavy 60 pound butt section, a section of 16 to
20 class tippet, and finally a short, one foot section of 60 to 100
pound mono shock tippet. This rig is the standard for many medium to
large tarpon, but there are other options for the really large fish. Be
sure to ask your local fly shop about the leaders you should have ready
to go before you board the plane for your chosen tropical tarpon
destination. Keeping this general rigging rule for tarpon fishing can be
helpful: When traveling to far-flung destinations, bring your rigging
with you. When traveling to the Florida Keys, a good guide should
provide all you need to jump and land the tarpon of your dreams.

Do not head to the saltwater flats in search of tarpon armed with a
sub-standard fly reel. The stress a tarpon can place on even the
strongest rods, lines, and leaders is truly impressive – to say the very
least. The fly reel is the mechanical link for your connection to the
fish and if it goes south, so does your time on the water. Be sure to
find a reel with an iron-clad drag system and a large arbor for easy
line pick up. The reel should also be large enough to store between 200
and 250 yards of backing; if you find yourself connected to a rolling
fish, you’ll use it.

When at home along the saltwater flats, tarpon will hunt and feed mostly
on baitfish. When migrating and spawning, tarpon are more likely to
feed instinctively on smaller crustaceans. Regardless of the situation,
however, tarpon will aggressively chase a well-presented fly. Large
streamer patterns are the most effective flies for tarpon of all sizes,
but some smaller crab and shrimp patterns will yield good results on
days when the silver kings are on the move or in a more selective mood.

A favorite classic tarpon fly from Florida to the Bahamas is the
Cockroach, developed by saltwater fly fishing legend Lefty Kreh. Other
proven tarpon flies include Lefty’s Deceiver, the Clouser Minnow, and
the Sea Habit. When tarpon are migrating or on the spawn, the Tarpon
Shrimp, Tarpon Crab, and the Seaducer are another trio of useful tarpon
flies to have on hand, and the Campeche Special is a brilliant fly for
baby tarpon in the mangroves of Mexico’s Gulf Coast.

Tarpon offer fly anglers a unique challenge; discovering the proper
blend of power, strategy, concentration, and finesse is crucial when on
the flats or in the brackish water in search of rolling tarpon. The
majesty of the tarpon survives in a heap of literature from Grey to
Kreh, and with good reason. Holding court, the tarpon truly is the
silver king of the flats, offering excited anglers throughout the
tropics the sport, the drama, the epic struggle, and the joy of the
great kings of mythology.

Red Truck Diesel Fly Reels are now available.February 1, 2011 (San Francisco, CA): Old-school anglers take
note. With the growing popularity of Red Truck’s proven Diesel Series
of fly rods, Red Truck raises the bar again with its traditional series
of Red Truck Diesel fly reels.

Old meets new: Fully-machined from bar-stock, aircraft-grade
aluminum, then anodized for a long life of use, these
traditionally-styled fly reels are anticipating your next fishing trip.
The rim-mounted drag adjustment knob awaits your fingers to fine tune
the “click and pawl” drag system. The exposed palming rim is there for
you when added drag pressure becomes necessary. Classic porting reduces
reel weight and provides that vintage look. The sweet sound of the
click and pawl drag will announce “fish on.” A removable brass line
guard reduces line wear, while adding to that classic look. Each reel
comes in a handsome leather-capped, padded reel pouch.

When did fly reels stop looking and sounding like fly reels?
It’s not to say that we at Red Truck don’t like or respect the
progression of fly reel design. It’s just that somewhere along the
way, we feel some reel manufacturers have lost a connection to the
past, instead focusing on over engineering a fly reel to justify its
price. Fishing a fly reel – one that looks and sounds like your grand
daddy’s reel – connects you, as an angler, to a more carefree time when
fly fishing was simple and fun. At Red Truck, our goal is to make fly fishing fun again.

The Red Truck Diesel fly reel was born from a straightforward concept, “combine vintage cosmetics with contemporary performance.”
We started our design process by searching for our favorite fly reel
from the past. We reviewed reels by manufacturers from around the
world, some no longer in business and some from present-day brands.
Our search resulted in two favorite fly reel models. Each had design
and functional qualities we at Red Truck liked. Our decision at that
point was to combine the best characteristics from these two reels into one great fly fishing reel. The Red Truck Diesel was born.

For the Diesel fly reels to reflect our vision of a traditional fly
reel, it first had to look like one. For this, we focused on two
aspects, the porting pattern of the spool and the matte anodize
of the reel. We designed our porting pattern (the arrangement of holes
in the spool) after reviewing many vintage fly reel samples. Our
porting design is visually simple, but still very classic. Of course,
our porting also reduces the weight of the fly reel and allows for the
fly line and backing to dry faster after a day on the water.

For our Diesel fly reel’s finish, we settled on an anodized matte gray finish with polished silver accents.
The resulting Diesel fly reel’s finish speaks to the fact that a fly
reel should first and foremost be a functional tool, nothing too
flashy…but it still should have enough flair for that occasional
admiring glance while fishing. On the water, our Diesel’s matte finish
also keeps reel-flash to a minimum, which is always important
when chasing wily fish. Not only do our Diesel fly reels perfectly
complement our Red Truck Diesel fly rods, they look great on just about
every other brand, too.

By reviewing traditional fly reel dimensions and line capacities, we found that it was time for an update. You’ll notice that our Diesel fly reels are larger in diameter and thinner in width than vintage fly reels. The result of our efforts is a classic appearing fly reel with large-arbor performance.
Although our fly reels are standard arbor, in effect they are actually
large arbor in function. Instead of removing crucial backing capacity
from the center of the spool, we just build up the “arbor” with
backing. Now you have the best of all worlds…large-arbor
performance (faster line pickup, less line coiling and a more
consistent drag setting) with more than ample backing, in a
traditional-looking reel.

Click, acoustics, noise…however you define it, the sound created from a
fly reel with a running fish is music to Red Truck’s ears. We felt it
so important that we struggled to finely tune the sound of our Diesel’s click and pawl drag system.
We all knew we had the right configuration when the Red Truck gang
smiled during a sound test. Truth is, we were all imagining the
silence of a trout stream being awakened by our Diesel reel announcing,
“fish on.” This sweet music is created by our adjustable click and
pawl drag system, which unlike many classic fly reels is easily
converted to left or right hand retrieve. The drag control knob is
classically positioned on the reels frame for easy access, ensuring you
always have the proper drag setting. But we didn’t overlook
contemporary advancements, like an exposed palming rim, used to add
more drag pressure during a grand fish fight.

Next we searched the world for the best reel manufacturer.
A company who already crafts fly reels for some of the biggest names in
the fly fishing industry. We desired a facility with talented engineers and craftsmen who know how to leverage current technology, advanced materials and machines
which result in the best fly reels presently available. We found them
in South Korea and after much romancing they agreed to partner with us
on our fly reel project.

Of course our Diesel fly reel is fully machined from aircraft-grade aluminum.
Unlike cast or molded fly reels, a machined fly reel has a higher
tolerance to abuse, allowing for an extended life of fishing.
Machining also creates greater structural integrity. With this
stronger reel, we can remove more material from the reel, reducing
weight and offering even greater fishing function. Unlike classic fly
reels, we removed the reel frame’s cage. This contemporary frame
modification not only results in a lighter reel, it also makes for
easier spool changes or line/leader wrangling, when the need arises.
Changing spools and accessing your line is a snap.

Of course we didn’t neglect the extra design features too. We even added a line guard
at the base of the reel frame, which reduces line wear and can be
easily repositioned for either right or left hand retrieve. A polished
silver counter-balance weight (opposite the handle) ensures
smooth operation when reeling line in or on a hot fish run. And of
course you’ll be proud to place your Diesel fly reel back into its classic reel pouch for safe storage.

The word. . .

The new Red Truck Diesel Series reels were born straight from the
honest, function-forward design philosophy we have come to expect from
the boys at Red Truck. With a classic look reminiscent of the trusty
click-and-pawls of yesteryear, these reels are built to stand the test
of decades on the water. The Diesel Series reels have all of the
aesthetic and functional features that one could want in a freshwater
reel, without any of the hyped up finishes and Formula-1 drag systems
that are, simply, overkill for trout and steelhead. Now, anglers looking
for a classic style reel will no longer have to empty their bank
accounts for a vintage Hardy. The Diesel reels allow anyone to enjoy
that same screaming sound and timeless style, all on a guide’s budget.
Red Truck’s Diesel Series reels show respect for the past while creating
a legacy of their own.

Features. . .

The Diesel Series reels are equipped with a proven, click-and-pawl drag
system that has a nice and loud in and out-going click, and easily
converts from left to right hand retrieve. They also have a palming rim
to apply added pressure when that hot summer steelhead takes off on a
screaming run. Precision-machined from anodized aluminum, the Diesel
Series reels are built to resist both scratches and corrosion, so they
will look just as pretty in 20 years as they do today.

Reliability and Durability. . .

All Red Truck rods and reels are built to withstand the test of time in
the field, and the Diesel Series Reels are just about as bullet-proof as
freshwater reels come. The proven, click-and-pawl drag system is super
low maintenance, and will still sing loud and clear when you hand it
down to your grandchildren. Plus, should an issue arise, all Diesel
reels are backed by Red Truck’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Overall Rating. . .

PROS – Built with a loud outgoing and incoming click-and-pawl
drag, and machined to ultra-tight tolerances in a timeless, classic
aesthetic that will endure decades fishing abuse.

BOTTOM LINE – If you’re looking for a series of reels that will
perform day in and day out, whether you are facing feisty golden trout,
summer steelhead, or anything in between, the Red Truck Diesel Series is
it.

Red Truck Diesel Fly Reels are now available.February 1, 2011 (San Francisco, CA): Old-school anglers take
note. With the growing popularity of Red Truck’s proven Diesel Series
of fly rods, Red Truck raises the bar again with its traditional series
of Red Truck Diesel fly reels.

Old meets new: Fully-machined from bar-stock, aircraft-grade
aluminum, then anodized for a long life of use, these
traditionally-styled fly reels are anticipating your next fishing trip.
The rim-mounted drag adjustment knob awaits your fingers to fine tune
the “click and pawl” drag system. The exposed palming rim is there for
you when added drag pressure becomes necessary. Classic porting reduces
reel weight and provides that vintage look. The sweet sound of the
click and pawl drag will announce “fish on.” A removable brass line
guard reduces line wear, while adding to that classic look. Each reel
comes in a handsome leather-capped, padded reel pouch.

When did fly reels stop looking and sounding like fly reels?
It’s not to say that we at Red Truck don’t like or respect the
progression of fly reel design. It’s just that somewhere along the
way, we feel some reel manufacturers have lost a connection to the
past, instead focusing on over engineering a fly reel to justify its
price. Fishing a fly reel – one that looks and sounds like your grand
daddy’s reel – connects you, as an angler, to a more carefree time when
fly fishing was simple and fun. At Red Truck, our goal is to make fly fishing fun again.

The Red Truck Diesel fly reel was born from a straightforward concept, “combine vintage cosmetics with contemporary performance.”
We started our design process by searching for our favorite fly reel
from the past. We reviewed reels by manufacturers from around the
world, some no longer in business and some from present-day brands.
Our search resulted in two favorite fly reel models. Each had design
and functional qualities we at Red Truck liked. Our decision at that
point was to combine the best characteristics from these two reels into one great fly fishing reel. The Red Truck Diesel was born.

For the Diesel fly reels to reflect our vision of a traditional fly
reel, it first had to look like one. For this, we focused on two
aspects, the porting pattern of the spool and the matte anodize
of the reel. We designed our porting pattern (the arrangement of holes
in the spool) after reviewing many vintage fly reel samples. Our
porting design is visually simple, but still very classic. Of course,
our porting also reduces the weight of the fly reel and allows for the
fly line and backing to dry faster after a day on the water.

For our Diesel fly reel’s finish, we settled on an anodized matte gray finish with polished silver accents.
The resulting Diesel fly reel’s finish speaks to the fact that a fly
reel should first and foremost be a functional tool, nothing too
flashy…but it still should have enough flair for that occasional
admiring glance while fishing. On the water, our Diesel’s matte finish
also keeps reel-flash to a minimum, which is always important
when chasing wily fish. Not only do our Diesel fly reels perfectly
complement our Red Truck Diesel fly rods, they look great on just about
every other brand, too.

By reviewing traditional fly reel dimensions and line capacities, we found that it was time for an update. You’ll notice that our Diesel fly reels are larger in diameter and thinner in width than vintage fly reels. The result of our efforts is a classic appearing fly reel with large-arbor performance.
Although our fly reels are standard arbor, in effect they are actually
large arbor in function. Instead of removing crucial backing capacity
from the center of the spool, we just build up the “arbor” with
backing. Now you have the best of all worlds…large-arbor
performance (faster line pickup, less line coiling and a more
consistent drag setting) with more than ample backing, in a
traditional-looking reel.

Click, acoustics, noise…however you define it, the sound created from a
fly reel with a running fish is music to Red Truck’s ears. We felt it
so important that we struggled to finely tune the sound of our Diesel’s click and pawl drag system.
We all knew we had the right configuration when the Red Truck gang
smiled during a sound test. Truth is, we were all imagining the
silence of a trout stream being awakened by our Diesel reel announcing,
“fish on.” This sweet music is created by our adjustable click and
pawl drag system, which unlike many classic fly reels is easily
converted to left or right hand retrieve. The drag control knob is
classically positioned on the reels frame for easy access, ensuring you
always have the proper drag setting. But we didn’t overlook
contemporary advancements, like an exposed palming rim, used to add
more drag pressure during a grand fish fight.

Next we searched the world for the best reel manufacturer.
A company who already crafts fly reels for some of the biggest names in
the fly fishing industry. We desired a facility with talented engineers and craftsmen who know how to leverage current technology, advanced materials and machines
which result in the best fly reels presently available. We found them
in South Korea and after much romancing they agreed to partner with us
on our fly reel project.

Of course our Diesel fly reel is fully machined from aircraft-grade aluminum.
Unlike cast or molded fly reels, a machined fly reel has a higher
tolerance to abuse, allowing for an extended life of fishing.
Machining also creates greater structural integrity. With this
stronger reel, we can remove more material from the reel, reducing
weight and offering even greater fishing function. Unlike classic fly
reels, we removed the reel frame’s cage. This contemporary frame
modification not only results in a lighter reel, it also makes for
easier spool changes or line/leader wrangling, when the need arises.
Changing spools and accessing your line is a snap.

Of course we didn’t neglect the extra design features too. We even added a line guard
at the base of the reel frame, which reduces line wear and can be
easily repositioned for either right or left hand retrieve. A polished
silver counter-balance weight (opposite the handle) ensures
smooth operation when reeling line in or on a hot fish run. And of
course you’ll be proud to place your Diesel fly reel back into its classic reel pouch for safe storage.

The word. . .

The new Red Truck Diesel Series reels were born straight from the
honest, function-forward design philosophy we have come to expect from
the boys at Red Truck. With a classic look reminiscent of the trusty
click-and-pawls of yesteryear, these reels are built to stand the test
of decades on the water. The Diesel Series reels have all of the
aesthetic and functional features that one could want in a freshwater
reel, without any of the hyped up finishes and Formula-1 drag systems
that are, simply, overkill for trout and steelhead. Now, anglers looking
for a classic style reel will no longer have to empty their bank
accounts for a vintage Hardy. The Diesel reels allow anyone to enjoy
that same screaming sound and timeless style, all on a guide’s budget.
Red Truck’s Diesel Series reels show respect for the past while creating
a legacy of their own.

Features. . .

The Diesel Series reels are equipped with a proven, click-and-pawl drag
system that has a nice and loud in and out-going click, and easily
converts from left to right hand retrieve. They also have a palming rim
to apply added pressure when that hot summer steelhead takes off on a
screaming run. Precision-machined from anodized aluminum, the Diesel
Series reels are built to resist both scratches and corrosion, so they
will look just as pretty in 20 years as they do today.

Reliability and Durability. . .

All Red Truck rods and reels are built to withstand the test of time in
the field, and the Diesel Series Reels are just about as bullet-proof as
freshwater reels come. The proven, click-and-pawl drag system is super
low maintenance, and will still sing loud and clear when you hand it
down to your grandchildren. Plus, should an issue arise, all Diesel
reels are backed by Red Truck’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Overall Rating. . .

PROS – Built with a loud outgoing and incoming click-and-pawl
drag, and machined to ultra-tight tolerances in a timeless, classic
aesthetic that will endure decades fishing abuse.

BOTTOM LINE – If you’re looking for a series of reels that will
perform day in and day out, whether you are facing feisty golden trout,
summer steelhead, or anything in between, the Red Truck Diesel Series is
it.

Any fly rod can catch a fish, but not all fly rods are a joy to cast. If you define your fly fishing success solely by fish count, you might consider buying just any fly rod, but if you agree with us at Leland that there's more to fly fishing than just the fish, you might want to read more about what makes a great fly rod.

desc::Any fly rod can catch a fish, but not all fly rods are a joy to cast. If you define your fly fishing success solely by fish count, you might consider buying just any fly rod, but if you agree with us at Leland that there's more to fly fishing than just the fish, you might want to read more about what makes a great fly rod.

The fly rod is the defining element in any tackle ensemble as it is responsible for propelling the weighted fly line and relatively weightless fly out into the river or lake and to the targeted fish. It is the angler's primary tool, a synthesis of functionality and art. The very first fly fishing rods were crude instruments that got the job done, but today's high performance fly rods come in many shapes and sizes and are constructed of space age materials like fiberglass and graphite that would no doubt have the earliest anglers salivating at the advances in the primary tool used in fly fishing.

Modern fly rods are designed, first and foremost, to cast fly lines as efficiently as possible. This goal has created a community of specialized casting specialists and "fly rod taper" designers who focus on the physics of fly casting and materials science and engineering in the search for the most effective fly rod ever produced. These advances in fly rod design have led to parallel advances in fly line design and construction as well as a general improvement in the casting ability of anglers of all skill and experience levels. Improved casting accuracy and distance, both direct results of modern fly rod advancements, have also opened new horizons in the sport, allowing anglers to fish new water and harsh conditions that were never accessible with older fly rod designs.

There still is a passionate community of more traditional rod builders and enthusiasts who maintain the art of creating high performing rods of split cane bamboo. These cane rods are most often found in the deftly skilled hands of trout anglers on smaller spring creeks, but several of today's best bamboo rod builders are also constructing highly effective rods in heavier line weights and in lengths and tapers suitable for Spey casting.

featdesc::The fly rod is the defining element in any tackle ensemble as it is
responsible for propelling the weighted fly line and relatively
weightless fly out into the river or lake and to the targeted fish. It
is the angler's primary tool, a synthesis of functionality and art. The
very first fly fishing rods were crude instruments that got the job
done, but today's high performance fly rods come in many shapes and
sizes and are constructed of space age materials like fiberglass and
graphite that would no doubt have the earliest anglers salivating at the
advances in the primary tool used in fly fishing.

Components of a Fly Rod

Rod BlankThe
fly rod blank is simply the physical rod itself. Each rod style has a
unique shape or "taper" throughout its length designed to deliver a
specific fly line weight or fly line style as efficiently as possible.

GripFly
rod grips are a key component to the fly rod itself. Grips are
generally made of Portuguese cork and are shaved and sanded on a lathe
to create an ergonomic handle. A series of classic grip styles are
available; Half Wells grips are popular in many mid-weight trout rods,
Full Wells grips give steelheaders and saltwater anglers a bit more
control when casting heavier rods, Cigar grips are extremely popular on
the lightest fly rods, Spey grips are long and tapered allowing an
angler to easily wield a two-handed rod of 13 feet or more in length.

GuideGuides
are small coils of light, but durable metal that hold the fly line
close to the rod, allowing an angler to actually use the fly line and
fly rod in tandem to successfully complete a fly cast. These coils are
sometimes referred to as "eyes" and the first guide or guides near the
butt end or handle of the rod blank are called the "stripping guides"
and the rest of the guides are called "snake guides." The final
loop-shaped guide at the tip of the rod blank is simply called the "tip
top." Fly rod guides have "feet" and are secured to the rod blank with
tight wraps of thread about the feet. Generally, guides have two feet,
but single-footed guides are becoming more popular with rod designers as
weight considerations become more important for a modern rod's
performance and marketing story. Recoil snake guides -- guides that
retain their original shape even after being bent -- are also finding
their way to mainstream fly rod design for their enhanced durability and
performance.

Reel seatThe reel seat is
metal component that holds a fly reel to the rod. Reel seats can be as
simple as two aluminum rings (called cork-and-ring reel seat), or can be
beautifully machined combinations of aluminum and wood or composite
material for larger, heavier reels. The reel seat is a relatively new
addition to fly rod design as anglers used to hold the fly reel in their
free hand as recent as the mid 1800s.

Fly Rod ConstructionThe
best fly rods, whether bamboo, fiberglass, or graphite are put together
with the utmost care. Construction is the ultimate determinant of how
efficiently the rod transfers the energy of the caster through the rod
to fly line and eventually to the fly. A poorly constructed rod is not
efficient and will not directly transmit the energy generated by the
caster to the fly line, often resulting in a "wobble" at the end of the
casting stroke. This wobbling transfers to the line resulting in a
weaker, less accurate cast. The better and tighter the construction of a
rod, the more efficient it is, and the more accurate and powerful it
will be at all distances.

In modern graphite rods, the quality of
construction is directly related to the type of source graphite used to
make it. As a general rule, the higher the modulus (a term indicating
how much graphite is present in the rod), the better the graphite.
Quality rod makers are continually searching and redefining the right
amount and type of graphite to make their rods even better. Translation:
just the right amount of modulus graphite will make a higher
performance rod. Rods that use modern aerospace grades of graphite will
transfer the most energy with the greatest degree of ease and also allow
for the best accuracy.

Optimize a fly rod to perform its bestFly Rods and Line WeightGenerally
speaking, the weight of a fly line is proportionate to the size of the
species you're pursuing. If you are fishing for smaller fish with
smaller flies, a lighter line weight will allow you to present the fly
more accurately. However, if you are going after big fish, a heavier
line is important for turning over larger flies in the wind and casting
greater distances.

Action and FlexFly rods
are characterized by where the rod flexes. A "fast action" fly rod
flexes near the tip, and a "slow action" rod flexes near the butt of the
rod with "medium action" somewhere in between. Action determines the
tempo of your casting stroke. It also determines the ability of your rod
to generate line speed, a term for how quickly the loop travels away
from the rod tip. As it takes less effort to cast farther and more
accurately with a fast action rod, beginning casters are often best fit
with this action.

LengthThe type of water
and fishing determines appropriate fly rod length. Smaller streams mean
tighter casting situations, and a shorter rod is much more manageable.
Big Western rivers and salt water require a longer rod for increased
distance and power. While, anglers fishing for steelhead and salmon
commonly prefer longer rods for large mends and roll casts. Generally
speaking, a nine-foot rod is ideal for the vast majority of fishing
situations. If you are new to the sport, this length will perform
effectively in a variety of waters and will allow for a solid
development of your fly cast.

The fly rod is the defining element in any tackle ensemble as it is responsible for propelling the weighted fly line and relatively weightless fly out into the river or lake and to the targeted fish. It is the angler's primary tool, a synthesis of functionality and art. The very first fly fishing rods were crude instruments that got the job done, but today's high performance fly rods come in many shapes and sizes and are constructed of space age materials like fiberglass and graphite that would no doubt have the earliest anglers salivating at the advances in the primary tool used in fly fishing.

Modern fly rods are designed, first and foremost, to cast fly lines as efficiently as possible. This goal has created a community of specialized casting specialists and "fly rod taper" designers who focus on the physics of fly casting and materials science and engineering in the search for the most effective fly rod ever produced. These advances in fly rod design have led to parallel advances in fly line design and construction as well as a general improvement in the casting ability of anglers of all skill and experience levels. Improved casting accuracy and distance, both direct results of modern fly rod advancements, have also opened new horizons in the sport, allowing anglers to fish new water and harsh conditions that were never accessible with older fly rod designs.

There still is a passionate community of more traditional rod builders and enthusiasts who maintain the art of creating high performing rods of split cane bamboo. These cane rods are most often found in the deftly skilled hands of trout anglers on smaller spring creeks, but several of today's best bamboo rod builders are also constructing highly effective rods in heavier line weights and in lengths and tapers suitable for Spey casting.

The fly rod is the defining element in any tackle ensemble as it is
responsible for propelling the weighted fly line and relatively
weightless fly out into the river or lake and to the targeted fish. It
is the angler's primary tool, a synthesis of functionality and art. The
very first fly fishing rods were crude instruments that got the job
done, but today's high performance fly rods come in many shapes and
sizes and are constructed of space age materials like fiberglass and
graphite that would no doubt have the earliest anglers salivating at the
advances in the primary tool used in fly fishing.

Components of a Fly Rod

Rod BlankThe
fly rod blank is simply the physical rod itself. Each rod style has a
unique shape or "taper" throughout its length designed to deliver a
specific fly line weight or fly line style as efficiently as possible.

GripFly
rod grips are a key component to the fly rod itself. Grips are
generally made of Portuguese cork and are shaved and sanded on a lathe
to create an ergonomic handle. A series of classic grip styles are
available; Half Wells grips are popular in many mid-weight trout rods,
Full Wells grips give steelheaders and saltwater anglers a bit more
control when casting heavier rods, Cigar grips are extremely popular on
the lightest fly rods, Spey grips are long and tapered allowing an
angler to easily wield a two-handed rod of 13 feet or more in length.

GuideGuides
are small coils of light, but durable metal that hold the fly line
close to the rod, allowing an angler to actually use the fly line and
fly rod in tandem to successfully complete a fly cast. These coils are
sometimes referred to as "eyes" and the first guide or guides near the
butt end or handle of the rod blank are called the "stripping guides"
and the rest of the guides are called "snake guides." The final
loop-shaped guide at the tip of the rod blank is simply called the "tip
top." Fly rod guides have "feet" and are secured to the rod blank with
tight wraps of thread about the feet. Generally, guides have two feet,
but single-footed guides are becoming more popular with rod designers as
weight considerations become more important for a modern rod's
performance and marketing story. Recoil snake guides -- guides that
retain their original shape even after being bent -- are also finding
their way to mainstream fly rod design for their enhanced durability and
performance.

Reel seatThe reel seat is
metal component that holds a fly reel to the rod. Reel seats can be as
simple as two aluminum rings (called cork-and-ring reel seat), or can be
beautifully machined combinations of aluminum and wood or composite
material for larger, heavier reels. The reel seat is a relatively new
addition to fly rod design as anglers used to hold the fly reel in their
free hand as recent as the mid 1800s.

Fly Rod ConstructionThe
best fly rods, whether bamboo, fiberglass, or graphite are put together
with the utmost care. Construction is the ultimate determinant of how
efficiently the rod transfers the energy of the caster through the rod
to fly line and eventually to the fly. A poorly constructed rod is not
efficient and will not directly transmit the energy generated by the
caster to the fly line, often resulting in a "wobble" at the end of the
casting stroke. This wobbling transfers to the line resulting in a
weaker, less accurate cast. The better and tighter the construction of a
rod, the more efficient it is, and the more accurate and powerful it
will be at all distances.

In modern graphite rods, the quality of
construction is directly related to the type of source graphite used to
make it. As a general rule, the higher the modulus (a term indicating
how much graphite is present in the rod), the better the graphite.
Quality rod makers are continually searching and redefining the right
amount and type of graphite to make their rods even better. Translation:
just the right amount of modulus graphite will make a higher
performance rod. Rods that use modern aerospace grades of graphite will
transfer the most energy with the greatest degree of ease and also allow
for the best accuracy.

Optimize a fly rod to perform its bestFly Rods and Line WeightGenerally
speaking, the weight of a fly line is proportionate to the size of the
species you're pursuing. If you are fishing for smaller fish with
smaller flies, a lighter line weight will allow you to present the fly
more accurately. However, if you are going after big fish, a heavier
line is important for turning over larger flies in the wind and casting
greater distances.

Action and FlexFly rods
are characterized by where the rod flexes. A "fast action" fly rod
flexes near the tip, and a "slow action" rod flexes near the butt of the
rod with "medium action" somewhere in between. Action determines the
tempo of your casting stroke. It also determines the ability of your rod
to generate line speed, a term for how quickly the loop travels away
from the rod tip. As it takes less effort to cast farther and more
accurately with a fast action rod, beginning casters are often best fit
with this action.

LengthThe type of water
and fishing determines appropriate fly rod length. Smaller streams mean
tighter casting situations, and a shorter rod is much more manageable.
Big Western rivers and salt water require a longer rod for increased
distance and power. While, anglers fishing for steelhead and salmon
commonly prefer longer rods for large mends and roll casts. Generally
speaking, a nine-foot rod is ideal for the vast majority of fishing
situations. If you are new to the sport, this length will perform
effectively in a variety of waters and will allow for a solid
development of your fly cast.

Every fly rod can catch a fish...that's for sure. However, not every fly rod is a joy to cast and certainly doesn't celebrate the defining attribute of our sport...fly casting. To learn more about what makes a good fly rod, just click the link.

desc::Every fly rod can catch a fish...that's for sure. However, not every fly rod is a joy to cast and certainly doesn't celebrate the defining attribute of our sport...fly casting. To learn more about what makes a good fly rod, just click the link.

What makes a good fly rod?

The fly rod is the defining element in any tackle ensemble as it is responsible for propelling the weighted fly line and relatively weightless fly out into the river or lake and to the targeted fish. It is the angler's primary tool, a synthesis of functionality and art. The very first fly fishing rods were crude instruments that got the job done, but today's high performance fly rods come in many shapes and sizes and are constructed of space age materials like fiberglass and graphite that would no doubt have the earliest anglers salivating at the advances in the primary tool used in fly fishing.

Modern fly rods are designed, first and foremost, to cast fly lines as efficiently as possible. This goal has created a community of specialized casting specialists and "fly rod taper" designers who focus on the physics of fly casting and materials science and engineering in the search for the most effective fly rod ever produced. These advances in fly rod design have led to parallel advances in fly line design and construction as well as a general improvement in the casting ability of anglers of all skill and experience levels. Improved casting accuracy and distance, both direct results of modern fly rod advancements, have also opened new horizons in the sport, allowing anglers to fish new water and harsh conditions that were never accessible with older fly rod designs.

There still is a passionate community of more traditional rod builders and enthusiasts who maintain the art of creating high performing rods of split cane bamboo. These cane rods are most often found in the deftly skilled hands of trout anglers on smaller spring creeks, but several of today's best bamboo rod builders are also constructing highly effective rods in heavier line weights and in lengths and tapers suitable for Spey casting.

Components of a Fly Rod

Rod Blank

The fly rod blank is simply the physical rod itself. Each rod style has a unique shape or "taper" throughout its length designed to deliver a specific fly line weight or fly line style as efficiently as possible.

Grip

Fly rod grips are a key component to the fly rod itself. Grips are generally made of Portuguese cork and are shaved and sanded on a lathe to create an ergonomic handle. A series of classic grip styles are available; Half Wells grips are popular in many mid-weight trout rods, Full Wells grips give steelheaders and saltwater anglers a bit more control when casting heavier rods, Cigar grips are extremely popular on the lightest fly rods, Spey grips are long and tapered allowing an angler to easily wield a two-handed rod of 13 feet or more in length.

Guide

Guides are small coils of light, but durable metal that hold the fly line close to the rod, allowing an angler to actually use the fly line and fly rod in tandem to successfully complete a fly cast. These coils are sometimes referred to as "eyes" and the first guide or guides near the butt end or handle of the rod blank are called the "stripping guides" and the rest of the guides are called "snake guides." The final loop-shaped guide at the tip of the rod blank is simply called the "tip top." Fly rod guides have "feet" and are secured to the rod blank with tight wraps of thread about the feet. Generally, guides have two feet, but single-footed guides are becoming more popular with rod designers as weight considerations become more important for a modern rod's performance and marketing story. Recoil snake guides -- guides that retain their original shape even after being bent -- are also finding their way to mainstream fly rod design for their enhanced durability and performance.

Reel seat

The reel seat is metal component that holds a fly reel to the rod. Reel seats can be as simple as two aluminum rings (called cork-and-ring reel seat), or can be beautifully machined combinations of aluminum and wood or composite material for larger, heavier reels. The reel seat is a relatively new addition to fly rod design as anglers used to hold the fly reel in their free hand as recent as the mid 1800s.

Fly Rod Construction

The best fly rods, whether bamboo, fiberglass, or graphite are put together with the utmost care. Construction is the ultimate determinant of how efficiently the rod transfers the energy of the caster through the rod to fly line and eventually to the fly. A poorly constructed rod is not efficient and will not directly transmit the energy generated by the caster to the fly line, often resulting in a "wobble" at the end of the casting stroke. This wobbling transfers to the line resulting in a weaker, less accurate cast. The better and tighter the construction of a rod, the more efficient it is, and the more accurate and powerful it will be at all distances.

In modern graphite rods, the quality of construction is directly related to the type of source graphite used to make it. As a general rule, the higher the modulus (a term indicating how much graphite is present in the rod), the better the graphite. Quality rod makers are continually searching and redefining the right amount and type of graphite to make their rods even better. Translation: just the right amount of modulus graphite will make a higher performance rod. Rods that use modern aerospace grades of graphite will transfer the most energy with the greatest degree of ease and also allow for the best accuracy.

Fly Rod Performance and Optimization

Fly Rods and Line Weight

Generally speaking, the weight of a fly line is proportionate to the size of the species you're pursuing. If you are fishing for smaller fish with smaller flies, a lighter line weight will allow you to present the fly more accurately. However, if you are going after big fish, a heavier line is important for turning over larger flies in the wind and casting greater distances.

Action and Flex

Fly rods are characterized by where the rod flexes. A "fast action" fly rod flexes near the tip, and a "slow action" rod flexes near the butt of the rod with "medium action" somewhere in between. Action determines the tempo of your casting stroke. It also determines the ability of your rod to generate line speed, a term for how quickly the loop travels away from the rod tip. As it takes less effort to cast farther and more accurately with a fast action rod, beginning casters are often best fit with this action.

Length

The type of water and fishing determines appropriate fly rod length. Smaller streams mean tighter casting situations, and a shorter rod is much more manageable. Big Western rivers and salt water require a longer rod for increased distance and power. While, anglers fishing for steelhead and salmon commonly prefer longer rods for large mends and roll casts. Generally speaking, a nine-foot rod is ideal for the vast majority of fishing situations. If you are new to the sport, this length will perform effectively in a variety of waters and will allow for a solid development of your fly cast.

What makes a good fly rod?

The fly rod is the defining element in any tackle ensemble as it is responsible for propelling the weighted fly line and relatively weightless fly out into the river or lake and to the targeted fish. It is the angler's primary tool, a synthesis of functionality and art. The very first fly fishing rods were crude instruments that got the job done, but today's high performance fly rods come in many shapes and sizes and are constructed of space age materials like fiberglass and graphite that would no doubt have the earliest anglers salivating at the advances in the primary tool used in fly fishing.

Modern fly rods are designed, first and foremost, to cast fly lines as efficiently as possible. This goal has created a community of specialized casting specialists and "fly rod taper" designers who focus on the physics of fly casting and materials science and engineering in the search for the most effective fly rod ever produced. These advances in fly rod design have led to parallel advances in fly line design and construction as well as a general improvement in the casting ability of anglers of all skill and experience levels. Improved casting accuracy and distance, both direct results of modern fly rod advancements, have also opened new horizons in the sport, allowing anglers to fish new water and harsh conditions that were never accessible with older fly rod designs.

There still is a passionate community of more traditional rod builders and enthusiasts who maintain the art of creating high performing rods of split cane bamboo. These cane rods are most often found in the deftly skilled hands of trout anglers on smaller spring creeks, but several of today's best bamboo rod builders are also constructing highly effective rods in heavier line weights and in lengths and tapers suitable for Spey casting.

Components of a Fly Rod

Rod Blank

The fly rod blank is simply the physical rod itself. Each rod style has a unique shape or "taper" throughout its length designed to deliver a specific fly line weight or fly line style as efficiently as possible.

Grip

Fly rod grips are a key component to the fly rod itself. Grips are generally made of Portuguese cork and are shaved and sanded on a lathe to create an ergonomic handle. A series of classic grip styles are available; Half Wells grips are popular in many mid-weight trout rods, Full Wells grips give steelheaders and saltwater anglers a bit more control when casting heavier rods, Cigar grips are extremely popular on the lightest fly rods, Spey grips are long and tapered allowing an angler to easily wield a two-handed rod of 13 feet or more in length.

Guide

Guides are small coils of light, but durable metal that hold the fly line close to the rod, allowing an angler to actually use the fly line and fly rod in tandem to successfully complete a fly cast. These coils are sometimes referred to as "eyes" and the first guide or guides near the butt end or handle of the rod blank are called the "stripping guides" and the rest of the guides are called "snake guides." The final loop-shaped guide at the tip of the rod blank is simply called the "tip top." Fly rod guides have "feet" and are secured to the rod blank with tight wraps of thread about the feet. Generally, guides have two feet, but single-footed guides are becoming more popular with rod designers as weight considerations become more important for a modern rod's performance and marketing story. Recoil snake guides -- guides that retain their original shape even after being bent -- are also finding their way to mainstream fly rod design for their enhanced durability and performance.

Reel seat

The reel seat is metal component that holds a fly reel to the rod. Reel seats can be as simple as two aluminum rings (called cork-and-ring reel seat), or can be beautifully machined combinations of aluminum and wood or composite material for larger, heavier reels. The reel seat is a relatively new addition to fly rod design as anglers used to hold the fly reel in their free hand as recent as the mid 1800s.

Fly Rod Construction

The best fly rods, whether bamboo, fiberglass, or graphite are put together with the utmost care. Construction is the ultimate determinant of how efficiently the rod transfers the energy of the caster through the rod to fly line and eventually to the fly. A poorly constructed rod is not efficient and will not directly transmit the energy generated by the caster to the fly line, often resulting in a "wobble" at the end of the casting stroke. This wobbling transfers to the line resulting in a weaker, less accurate cast. The better and tighter the construction of a rod, the more efficient it is, and the more accurate and powerful it will be at all distances.

In modern graphite rods, the quality of construction is directly related to the type of source graphite used to make it. As a general rule, the higher the modulus (a term indicating how much graphite is present in the rod), the better the graphite. Quality rod makers are continually searching and redefining the right amount and type of graphite to make their rods even better. Translation: just the right amount of modulus graphite will make a higher performance rod. Rods that use modern aerospace grades of graphite will transfer the most energy with the greatest degree of ease and also allow for the best accuracy.

Fly Rod Performance and Optimization

Fly Rods and Line Weight

Generally speaking, the weight of a fly line is proportionate to the size of the species you're pursuing. If you are fishing for smaller fish with smaller flies, a lighter line weight will allow you to present the fly more accurately. However, if you are going after big fish, a heavier line is important for turning over larger flies in the wind and casting greater distances.

Action and Flex

Fly rods are characterized by where the rod flexes. A "fast action" fly rod flexes near the tip, and a "slow action" rod flexes near the butt of the rod with "medium action" somewhere in between. Action determines the tempo of your casting stroke. It also determines the ability of your rod to generate line speed, a term for how quickly the loop travels away from the rod tip. As it takes less effort to cast farther and more accurately with a fast action rod, beginning casters are often best fit with this action.

Length

The type of water and fishing determines appropriate fly rod length. Smaller streams mean tighter casting situations, and a shorter rod is much more manageable. Big Western rivers and salt water require a longer rod for increased distance and power. While, anglers fishing for steelhead and salmon commonly prefer longer rods for large mends and roll casts. Generally speaking, a nine-foot rod is ideal for the vast majority of fishing situations. If you are new to the sport, this length will perform effectively in a variety of waters and will allow for a solid development of your fly cast.

If fishing for big steelies on the swing, or pursuing giant fall brown trout with streamers is your game, these 6' RIO Steelhead and Atlantic Salmon Leaders will turn your heavy flies over with smoothness, power and accuracy. Better yet, the 6' length will get your fly down where it belongs; in front of the fish! For super fast sinking lines, you can easily shorten this leader from the butt or tippet for a faster sink rate on your fly. Don't be caught without the proper leader, 'cause hooking steelies is just too much fun!

featdesc::

Length: 6' (1.83 m.)

Breaking Strength

Tip Diameter: 0.014" (0.343 mm.) 12lbs (5.5kg.)

0.015" (0.381 mm.) 16lbs (7.3kg.)

Color: Clear

Leland on Rio
Traveling cross-country every year in search of Florida tarpon and West Coast steelhead, Jim Vincent learned the true meaning of life: It's too short for using lousy fly lines and leaders! The truth is, being exposed to so many different fishing conditions, guides, and anglers, Jim came to understand there was a need for specialty fly lines, leaders and tippets for differing fishing conditions. After 10 years of travel, he started his company. With the help of his field staff of guides, captains and anglers, like you, Jim tested and retested every product before releasing it to the public. He wanted it to be right the first time. RIO makes the perfect leaders for trout, steelhead, salmon, the saltwater flats and blue water big game with accurate turnovers and high tensile strength. Now all you have to do is add the fish!

If fishing for big steelies on the swing, or pursuing giant fall brown trout with streamers is your game, these 6' RIO Steelhead and Atlantic Salmon Leaders will turn your heavy flies over with smoothness, power and accuracy. Better yet, the 6' length will get your fly down where it belongs; in front of the fish! For super fast sinking lines, you can easily shorten this leader from the butt or tippet for a faster sink rate on your fly. Don't be caught without the proper leader, 'cause hooking steelies is just too much fun!

Length: 6' (1.83 m.)

Breaking Strength

Tip Diameter: 0.014" (0.343 mm.) 12lbs (5.5kg.)

0.015" (0.381 mm.) 16lbs (7.3kg.)

Color: Clear

Leland on Rio
Traveling cross-country every year in search of Florida tarpon and West Coast steelhead, Jim Vincent learned the true meaning of life: It's too short for using lousy fly lines and leaders! The truth is, being exposed to so many different fishing conditions, guides, and anglers, Jim came to understand there was a need for specialty fly lines, leaders and tippets for differing fishing conditions. After 10 years of travel, he started his company. With the help of his field staff of guides, captains and anglers, like you, Jim tested and retested every product before releasing it to the public. He wanted it to be right the first time. RIO makes the perfect leaders for trout, steelhead, salmon, the saltwater flats and blue water big game with accurate turnovers and high tensile strength. Now all you have to do is add the fish!

Also commonly known as Compact Scandi spey heads or shooting heads, the Airflo Scandinavian Compact fly lines are ideal for summer two handed fishing in the Pacific Northwest, or any time you need to cover a lot of water in your search for active anadromous or potadromous fish. When paired with an Airflo Polyleader, the Scandinavian Compact two handed shooting head is the perfect line for slinging a Silver Hilton during summer mornings on the Umpqua, or fall evenings on the Deschutes.

Also commonly known as Compact Scandi spey heads or shooting heads, the Airflo Scandinavian Compact fly lines are ideal for summer two handed fishing in the Pacific Northwest, or any time you need to cover a lot of water in your search for active anadromous or potadromous fish. When paired with an Airflo Polyleader, the Scandinavian Compact two handed shooting head is the perfect line for slinging a Silver Hilton during summer mornings on the Umpqua, or fall evenings on the Deschutes.

Also commonly known as Compact Scandi spey heads or shooting heads, the Airflo Scandinavian Compact fly lines are ideal for summer two handed fishing in the Pacific Northwest, or any time you need to cover a lot of water in your search for active anadromous or potadromous fish. When paired with an Airflo Polyleader, the Scandinavian Compact two handed shooting head is the perfect line for slinging a Silver Hilton during summer mornings on the Umpqua, or fall evenings on the Deschutes.

featdesc::

Fly Line Density: Floating

Fly Line Taper: Short powerful head, single taper

Total Head Length: 29-34 feet (depends on grain weight)

Running Line Length: running line sold separately

Total Line Length: 29-34 feet

Core: Low stretch ‘Power Core’

Coating: Ultra supple Polyfuse XT Polyurethane

Line Weights: 300 grains

Color: Pale Blue

Leland on Airflo
With a huge following in their native UK and across Europe, Airflo is undoubtedly one of the preeminent names in fly line manufacturing.
Since their start in the late 1980s under UK angler Paul Burgess - when
they defined themselves through a move away from the traditional
solvent-based PVC fly line technology of the day - Airflo has stayed at
the forefront of fly line design and development, with a slew of patents to show their industry leadership. Airflo was the first firm to develop density compensation (DC) and the welded loop, which are now industry standards.
One of the largest selling points about Airflo lines is their
longevity, which has its source in the material used in manufacture:
polyurethane (PU). Like other urethanes, which are used in car
dashboards, boat paints, and car paints, PU is highly resistant to UV and chemical damage, and won't leak solvents over time to crack as other fly lines can.
Integral to the long-lasting performance of Airflo lines is Airflo's two-layer extrusion method, called Polyfuse XT. Utilizing a specialized extruder which is like a 'nozzle inside a nozzle', Airflo can seal two separate layers of polyurethane around a fly line core, and adjust the ratios of each material as the core passes out the extruder. The middle layer contains the defining elements of the line (whether microballoons, for flotation, or metal dust, for sinking ability) while the outer layer seals the line and contains all the slick-shooting properties that should be concentrated on the exterior. As a result, Airflo lines are less porous and consistently last longer.
Whether you've been fishing Airflo for years, or have just started to catch wind of their virtues, you should know that Airflo fly lines are hugely impressive, and Leland is thrilled to have the opportunity to carry them.

Also commonly known as Compact Scandi spey heads or shooting heads, the Airflo Scandinavian Compact fly lines are ideal for summer two handed fishing in the Pacific Northwest, or any time you need to cover a lot of water in your search for active anadromous or potadromous fish. When paired with an Airflo Polyleader, the Scandinavian Compact two handed shooting head is the perfect line for slinging a Silver Hilton during summer mornings on the Umpqua, or fall evenings on the Deschutes.

Fly Line Density: Floating

Fly Line Taper: Short powerful head, single taper

Total Head Length: 29-34 feet (depends on grain weight)

Running Line Length: running line sold separately

Total Line Length: 29-34 feet

Core: Low stretch ‘Power Core’

Coating: Ultra supple Polyfuse XT Polyurethane

Line Weights: 300 grains

Color: Pale Blue

Leland on Airflo
With a huge following in their native UK and across Europe, Airflo is undoubtedly one of the preeminent names in fly line manufacturing.
Since their start in the late 1980s under UK angler Paul Burgess - when
they defined themselves through a move away from the traditional
solvent-based PVC fly line technology of the day - Airflo has stayed at
the forefront of fly line design and development, with a slew of patents to show their industry leadership. Airflo was the first firm to develop density compensation (DC) and the welded loop, which are now industry standards.
One of the largest selling points about Airflo lines is their
longevity, which has its source in the material used in manufacture:
polyurethane (PU). Like other urethanes, which are used in car
dashboards, boat paints, and car paints, PU is highly resistant to UV and chemical damage, and won't leak solvents over time to crack as other fly lines can.
Integral to the long-lasting performance of Airflo lines is Airflo's two-layer extrusion method, called Polyfuse XT. Utilizing a specialized extruder which is like a 'nozzle inside a nozzle', Airflo can seal two separate layers of polyurethane around a fly line core, and adjust the ratios of each material as the core passes out the extruder. The middle layer contains the defining elements of the line (whether microballoons, for flotation, or metal dust, for sinking ability) while the outer layer seals the line and contains all the slick-shooting properties that should be concentrated on the exterior. As a result, Airflo lines are less porous and consistently last longer.
Whether you've been fishing Airflo for years, or have just started to catch wind of their virtues, you should know that Airflo fly lines are hugely impressive, and Leland is thrilled to have the opportunity to carry them.